The Li Guardians
by Syaoran-Lover
Summary: EPILOGUE FINALLY UP! What do Yami and Suuki have to do with Syaoran? Why is a danger from 234 years ago also after him? Will Sakura be there to help, or will it be too late? SxS if they survive. :p
1. The Lovers

_STARTING NOTES  
_  
This fanfic follows the manga storyline, taking place after the end, when Syaoran returns to Tomoeda; I'm considering he stayed there for about 6 years. Up until now, Sakura and Syaoran have a CLAMP style relationship, which means no kisses (only pecks) or sexual relationships, barely hugs and holding hands; but, of course, I'm going to change that :p Since the original authors never determined how old the characters were then, I decided to put Syaoran as 18 years old and Sakura and Tomoyo as 17. Chiharu's, Rika's, Yamazaki's and Naoko's won't interfere, and neither will Touya's&Co. Suuki and Yami are 18 (I have a sketch of them and they will be posted as soon as I can). I warn that there will be death in later chapters and that I might make this a lime (but that would NOT be the focus of this fanfic), so I will put a note on those "special" chapters. I'm thinking about making 2 different endings for this, but I'm still not sure (decision is depending on the reviews ). I'm rating this as PG-13, but, like I wrote before, there MIGHT be some rated R parts.  
  
_AUTHOR'S STYLE NOTES_  
  
"speech"  
  
'mental messages aka telepathy'  
  
scenery or time change  
  
About the ''blah blah", I only use them when necessary or when trying to make things easier (if they are already too difficult at the point).  
  
_JAPANESE DICTIONARY for this chapter (1 - The Lovers)  
_  
Moriko - forest child  
  
Suuki - water tree  
  
Kage - shadow  
  
Yami - darkness  
  
-kun - a suffix of endearment (used by males or by females when referring to males)  
  
-sama - a suffix of respect directed to those who are superior  
  
In Japan, people are introduced by their last names before the first; so Li Syaoran, in the Ocidental part of this magnificent Earth, would be Syaoran Li, Moriko Suuki (east) would be Suuki Moriko (west) and Kage Yami (east) would be Yami Kage (west), for example.  
  
_DISCLAIMER_: I do NOT own Syaoran-kun (sniff sniff), Sakura or any other character of Card Captor Sakura; they all belong to the goddesses of CLAMP, Kodansha and NHK! Moriko Suuki and Kage Yami are MY creations, though.  
  
**TITLE: THE LI GUARDIANS**  
  
**Chapter 1 - THE LOVERS**  
  
After much insisting, Li Syaoran had gotten permission from his mother, Li Yelan, to stay in Japan, completing his studies there. His sisters were jealous of his girlfriend, his reason to make such a decision, since he was their "baby brother" and had become even more handsome {AN: Can you imagine that?}. Even so, they couldn't do much against it because it was Syaoran's will, and being the heir of the Li clan, his mother was the only one that could oppose it. As long as he accepted the responsibilities of the post, his every wish was to be obeyed, and the condition was met.  
  
Three months had passed since Syaoran returned; both he and Sakura were in Tomoeda High School (second year) and they had been dating since then. Syaoran had a few problems with Kinomoto Touya at the beginning, but the over-protective brother ended up accepting the relationship, though that didn't mean Touya cooperated with Syaoran. The truth is the latter didn't care, he just wanted to be with his most loved person: Kinomoto Sakura.  
  
The couple had become very close, with Daidouji Tomoyo as their confident. Everyday, during recess, both would secretly meet under a tree and have their snack, hidden from everyone. The reason for this was their fear of the teachers' raft and Syaoran's fans', and he had a lot of them, since he was quite popular, being rich, handsome, very smart and having lots of other qualities. A lot of girls cooed when he put on his reading glasses to study because his concentrated face was very cute; Sakura loved to study with him for the mere fact of seeing it, besides learning, of course.  
  
Half of High School had gone by, Syaoran was the top student along with Tomoyo; Sakura wasn't bad, but she just couldn't compete with her best friends. Although studying and learning were his top priorities, being with his girlfriend was never forgotten; but even if it was, Sakura knew he had great responsibilities.  
  
One day, before the classes began, the teacher asked for a few moments of attention and called upon two names: Moriko Suuki and Kage Yami. Right then, a girl and a boy entered the classroom, causing much commotion. Both had straight black hair, light green eyes, well-built bodies with more height than normal and faces with dull expressions that plainly said "Get lost!"  
  
The girl's hair went a little past her shoulders; the boy's was short, but wildly done. If it weren't for the fact that opposite sex twins that look exactly alike doesn't exist, anyone might think they were fit in that case. The teacher informed they were born and raised together in Hong Kong during the 18 years of their lives and that both were currently lovers. The class was silent at the uncommon couple; the teacher told them to sit behind Syaoran, which would be the middle column, 3rd and 4th rows.  
  
That was when something weird happened: on their way to their assigned seats, the couple stopped right in front of Syaoran's desk and just stood there staring at him, but the object of their attention wasn't even noticing their presence: he was distracted with a book, and a very thick one at that. When he noticed shadows on its pages, he looked up surprised and only then realized he had two new roommates. At that moment, Suuki and Yami gave a 45° bow to him and walked to their seats.  
  
The whole class was surprised; for a moment, no one would break the quietness, but the teacher had to start the classes and so the silence was broken.  
  
Later, when they were reading in the library, Sakura looked suspiciously at Syaoran.  
  
"Syaoran-kun, saki ni ano futari no koto nani ata ka? (What happened back there with those two?)" She asked, Tomoyo eyeing him curiously, that famous look on her eyes.  
  
Syaoran raised his head, diverging his amber irises from the book he was reading, and met Sakura's and Tomoyo's. He really didn't know what to tell them, since he himself knew close to nothing. When he was about to voice a reply, Suuki and Yami came barging in their study room and strongly hugged Syaoran.  
  
"Syaoran-sama, watashi-tachi wa anata to iru hoshiikata desu yo (We wanted to be with you)!" the couple squealed. The Li heir could only blink in his own confusion.  
  
Lining up besides amber-eyed teen, both now had the trio's full attention, although the two only noticed one person in the room.  
  
"Two years ago, at Hong Kong High School, we wanted to be in the same classroom as you!" Suuki started.  
  
Yami continued. "That's right! We thought you were really great! We still think so!"  
  
Together, in chorus, they finished explaining. "Therefore we came after you! Syaoran-sama, we both love you very much!" They declared. That surprised everyone, including the object of the conversation, which now looked very surprised.  
  
"Syaoran-kun, what did you do when you went back to Hong Kong? What's the meaning of all this?" Sakura asked her boyfriend, a furious look on her face. That was when the other couple acknowledged hers and Tomoyo's presence and eyed the two girls intensely; neither they nor Sakura looked at all pleased. Syaoran didn't know what to do and Tomoyo just sat there smiling.  
  
Suuki and Yami turned back to him. "Syaoran-sama, kanojyo wa dare desu ka (Who is she?)" They asked in unison, pointing at the brown-headed girl.  
  
Syaoran chuckled at himself. "Ha ha, that's right, isn't it? I didn't introduce you. Suuki, Yami, these are Daidouji Tomoyo, my close friend, and Kinomoto Sakura, my girlfriend." The Li heir pointed. "Please keep this last part a secret, OK?" The boy asked, winking at the Chinese couple.  
  
Sakura nodded as if to confirm it and came closer to Syaoran, a possessive arm around his.  
  
The other couple looked at her with rage; they pulled Syaoran out of her grasp and surrounded the boy protectively. "No one gets that close to Syaoran-sama! If you are indeed his girlfriend, then you should know that! Not even the children of a Li clan master are allowed to be less than 6 feet away from him!" Suuki said, almost shouting. {AN.: I made this up, don't take it seriously :p}  
  
Turning to look at Syaoran's face, Yami continued. "Although you are not yet the master, you are the heir, and so it is our duty to protect you at all costs!" He said softly.  
  
Then, coming closer to the brown-haired boy, each quickly gave Syaoran's lips a passionate kiss. All three looked at them stupefied, and the couple explained together. "That was to show you how much you mean to us, Syaoran- sama, and that we will protect you shall the time arrive. We hope you were able to feel our emotions and our dedication in that simple gesture."  
  
Tomoyo decided to break the silence that had made itself present then. "Sumimassen, kedo futari tomo wa koibito deshou (Excuse me, but you two are lovers, right?)" she asked.  
  
Suuki and Yami turned to her. "Only as to practice for Syaoran-sama. When the time comes, we will no longer be so. For now, it is only convenient." They answered.  
  
The others were, again, speechless.  
  
Taking that as their cue, the Chinese couple walked out of the study room, but not before bowing deeply to Syaoran.  
  
As Suuki and Yami exited, both girls looked at him with surprise in their eyes, getting even more surprised with the expression he had on his face: a dumbstruck one.  
  
Not another word was exchanged after that.  
  
**END of CHAPTER ONE - THE LOVERS**  
  
A.N.: I have a serious problem with speech separations! If anyone can tell me how to correct them, if they are wrong, I'd be more than happy to hear you out!  
  
Also if you have any comments, whether they're about the story or the grammar (which I want to improve), please e-mail me; but I do prefer reviews.  
  
I'll try to have the next chapter by the end of this month, I just need to type it. Up to chapter three, most have this many words; they get bigger later.  
  
Please, DO review! Arigatou gozaimashita!  
  
Syaoran-Lover 


	2. The Study

A.N.: I'm not putting another disclaimer on the other chapters from this one on because they hurt me too much: I _LITTERALLY_ feel my heart being plucked out of my body, and it _DOES_ hurt! I've put it on the first already, pretend it's here too or look at chapter 1 if you HAVE the urge to view a disclaimer. Sorry about that to those who are strict about it, but I don't like pain.  
  
The word "study" and its variables appear a lot in this chapter, maybe because that's what I've been doing a lot lately, so I might have unsuspectingly inserted that on my fic ;p  
  
:_JAPANESE DICTIONARY for this chapter (2 - The Study)_  
  
Gomen (ne) - I'm sorry  
  
Nani - what  
  
Hai - yes  
  
Daijoubu - alright (as in "Are you alright?" or "I'm alright/OK.")  
  
If anything's missing here, please inform me!!!  
  
**THE LI GUARDIANS**  
  
**Chapter 2 - THE STUDY**  
  
Having just said their goodbyes to Tomoyo, whose bodyguards came to pick her up at the school building, Sakura and Syaoran walked side by side, in silence, the latter accompanying her back home. The atmosphere remained like that until he called out her name.  
  
"Sakura?"  
  
To that, she turned to him, a demanding look on her face. "Nani? Are you finally going to explain now what was that all about? Why did you kiss them if you've never kissed me, your own girlfriend?!" She practically yelled at him.  
  
He was particularly surprised: not only had she shouted at him, she had also, although indirectly, accused him of betrayal. In answer, he smiled sweetly, though a little hurt, and as he predicted, her anger died down. Noticing this, he voiced his reply.  
  
"First of all, I did not kiss them, it was the other way around, and there's a huge difference between the two situations; I can't explain anything because I know no much more than you do; third, I don't want to push you or anything, and that is the reason why I never dared to do more than hug you; and finally." Syaoran said, taking a breath before he contiued. "We have exams 2 weeks from now and I wanted to know if you'd like to go to my apartment on Friday after school to study for them?" He eyed her questioningly, a hopeful expression imprinted on his perfect face.  
  
Sakura looked down, suddenly very ashamed of herself, a red hue spreading on her cheeks. "Gomen, gomen ne, Syaoran-kun, I was out of myself. If it's OK, I'll come Friday after school to your apartment, ii desu ka (is it alright)?" She asked.  
  
The amber-eyed teen put a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder and pulled her closer to himself and kissed her forehead. "Of course. I'll be waiting anxiously for these four days to go by."  
  
Considering they were all in the same class, it was inevitable, of course, that they would have more encounters with the Chinese couple during the week, especially when Syaoran fainted twice; once on Wednesday, another on Thursday. On this second one, while still recovering as he sat on the floor, arms on both sides supporting his body, he concluded it had happened because he had been studying until late and hadn't been eating very well due to a recent lack of appetite. At this, everyone looked at him in surprise: since Monday they had all commented to him he'd gotten paler, but instead of taking care of himself, Syaoran had been studying. All the girls around him, who had tried to help when he fainted in the middle of the hallway, coming back from recess, tried to hug the boy, but all were shooed by Suuki and Yami, who didn't leave Syaoran's side until he promised he would eat a good dinner. and they only stayed a few meters apart.  
  
If anyone had looked closer at that moment, that person would see all the fuss both made over him had a larger sum of worry than normal as it's reason, and it could be seen in their eyes.  
  
On Friday, Sakura and Tomoyo were with him at all times, Suuki and Yami close behind. He almost did faint again when getting up from his seat for recess, but he caught himself on time.  
  
Sakura went with him to his apartment, both for worry and because they had decided it that way a week before. They chatted gaily {A.N.: I mean it in a good way!}, carefully avoiding certain matters.  
  
When they arrived, a blushing Syaoran showed her a bathroom to shower and change her clothes, since she had asked for it on the way. He went to his to do the same.  
  
Sakura finished first, quickly drying herself and putting on her attire: red underwear and frilly skirt, black tank top with the words "Love You" in sparkling gold glitter and a pair of red socks; her black shoes on the apartment's doorstep, as is the Japanese custom.  
  
Putting her books on the living room table, she went to check on Syaoran, who should have already finished, but showed no signs of doing so. Her worries about his present health made her forget to knock and instead of a fainted boyfriend, what she found was herself gaping at a very breathtaking sight: Syaoran... {A.N.: Isn't that enough?} with only a towel wrapped from his waist to a little above his knees; having just come out of the bathroom, his hair was still a little more messed up than usual, clinging to his face; his muscular arms clearly visible to her from the profile position he had unknowingly assumed to her point of view, reaching in his closet for the chosen clothes he'd picked {A.N.: Syaoran-sama, I'm drooling just thinking about it, imagine her who actually gets to see it for real, in live broadcast :p I'm being too nice to that girl, it's unfair!}.  
  
Sakura discovered her body was not attending her commands, and so when he realized she was there, the girl was at a lost for words and actions.  
  
"Sakura!"  
  
His surprised yell seemed to release her of whatever binding spell she was under, so bowing in apology, she hid her seriously blushing face and rushed out of the room to the kitchen, leaving an even more seriously blushing boy behind.  
  
She hadn't asked, and even if she had, he wouldn't really say the truth, but the reason why he had taken so long was because his weak body would not function in its normal time period.  
  
Syaoran came out 7 minutes later all dried up, hair as combed as it would stay; which wasn't much; white socks, a forest green sleeveless shirt with the words "Dragon Boy" in white and black shorts. He was about to go looking for his girlfriend in the kitchen, when she came out, still blushing a bit, carrying a tray with okonomyaki and orange juice. {A.N.: I it actually would go better if it were "Wolf Boy", but bear with that please.}  
  
"You fainted twice this weak, Syaoran-kun, saying it was because of a lack of eating, so here you go!" She offered smiling.  
  
"Sakura, I'm not really hungry; let's just study, OK?" He asked hopefully. The truth was he really wasn't hungry, but his body was obviously needing to digest something and Sakura, nowing the latter fact, made a puppy-like face to convince the boy. "I made this just for you, Syaoran-kun, you'll really let it go to waste like that?" She replied, coming closer to him as if to increase the effect of her currently begging expression.  
  
It worked.  
  
Syaoran sighed. "Alright, but we'll start studying right after, you hear?" He answered, a questioning glance on his face.  
  
"Hai!"  
  
So Syaoran ate while Sakura was staring lovingly at his face, sometimes taking a bite. Finishing, he looked at her and thanked the "Wonderful meal my girlfriend made for me" as he named it between laughs.  
  
Sakura left the plates at the sink and headed the short Japanese style table, where Syaoran was waiting. As she sat on her heals, they began studying: first, physics, Syaoran's favorite and her least; then Biology, the girl's favorite. Halfway through (Japanese) grammar, which used to be the one he liked least, the clock struck 8pm.  
  
"Oh! We've been studying 3 hours straight! I'll go get something to drink and some snacks." She informed as she stood up, but tripped on the mat, falling back down.  
  
She would have crashed on the floor had Syaoran not dived beneath and caught her.  
  
"Gomen ne, Syaoran-kun! Daijoubu?" She asked worried, raising her head a little.  
  
"Aa, daijoubu yo." He replied, realizing their faces were extremely close, Sakura's a bit over Syaoran's.  
  
They remained like that for some time, and it would have been longer if the girl, blushing as she also realized how close they were and completely aware of his hold on her small body, hadn't decided to take the first step, knowing he wouldn't do a thing unless she showed it was OK.  
  
She touched her lips to his, closing her eyes as she captured them with hers. Because he didn't move, she thought he wasn't appreciating the gesture, so as she was pulling apart, ready to begin apologizing, his arms tightened their hug on her back to hold her still before one of them curved around her neck and the other was sliding its respective hand up to her cheek, bringing her face closer to his to deepen the kiss. Sakura could feel his built form against her small one as his firm arms returned to her back again, his strong yet soft lips caressing hers, his tongue gently exploring her mouth, then dancing with the girl's.  
  
They parted, more for breath then for will. She opened her eyes, his was still closed. When he did open them, she drowned in once again in those oceans of amber. "Promise me, Syaoran-kun, promise me I'm your only one."  
  
The Li heir looked at her, almost pitying the tone of voice with which she had asked that simple request, but it was with love and not any other emotion that he replied.  
  
"You ARE the only one, Sakura, the only one I want."  
  
His eyes dazzling more as each word was said. Syaoran rolled over her, swiftly but carefully, surprising the emerald-eyed girl. Looking at the one now under him with a steady stare, he lowered his face to hers.  
  
"The only one." He whispered, right before he had her lips captured with his.  
  
**END of CHAPTER TWO - THE STUDY**  
  
_Next chapter - (at least so far it is titled) The Nightmare_  
  
A.N.: This was fun, and to me, ultimately kawaii. Drats, I'm killing myself with these "images" of my wonderful Syaoran-kun! Anyone noticed I'm Syaoran addicted? ;p  
  
I just finished watching Chobits TV Episode 16 and it's so kawaii! The whole series is, actually. I recommend it! Well anyway, for anyone who can't review, or has problems with it, keep e-mailing!  
  
Mata ne! Yomu shimashite arigatou gozaimashita yo! (Hopefully that means: "Until next time! Thanks for reading!")  
  
Syaoran-Lover 


	3. The Nightmare

Hello once again!! This chapter is really quick, but I'll need it somewhere in the future. (In case not, I'll just erase it from ff.net and brainwash everyone who read it :p)  
  
_For Disclaimer read chapter 1_  
  
_JAPANESE DICTIONARY for this chapter (3 - The Nightmare)_  
  
Moshi moshi - Japanese expression for "Hello", mainly for answering phone calls  
  
Gaki - brat/pest  
  
Iie - no  
  
Dare - who  
  
Desu - is  
  
**THE LI GUARDIANS  
  
Chapter 3 - THE NIGHTMARE**  
  
4am of the following day (Saturday)  
  
Li (Syaoran)'s apartment.  
  
An irritable noise was heard through the place as its pattern repeated itself.  
  
The noise stops and a drowsy voice sounds through the room. "Moshi moshi, Li Syaoran desu. Dare desu?"  
  
One loud yell and the owner of the voice, a chocolate-haired teenage boy, quickly jumps from his position on the bed, now more awake.  
  
Touya. Kinomoto Touya.  
  
"You gaki! What have you done to my sister? If you did anything suspicious I'll kill you as soon as I set my sights on you!"  
  
"What makes you think she's here?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Where else would she be? She's not at Tomoyo's! I called the place and Tomoyo herself said she parted with Sakura on the way home and that you were the one with her! What did you do after that?" The older boy shouted.  
  
Syaoran was getting impatient. "Well... one, she IS here; two, she came to _STUDY_ and that's what we did... and a lot of it too; three, it's 4am! Go to sleep, Touya! She'll be back home tomorrow... iie... make that today by night time!"  
  
"Gaki! What are doing to my sister?"  
  
"Nothing serious happened. Good night, Touya!"  
  
"Humph!"  
  
The other side hung up and another sound was heard. "Beeeeee."  
  
Syaoran sighed and drowsily returned the cordless phone to its place on his bedside table, immediately going back under his covers. He was so sleepy, his body and his spirit felt heavier, although he'd only LOST weight. The boy couldn't recall being this sleepy or tired and just knew he needed to rest.  
  
Outside his window, unknown to him, since he was too exhausted to detect magic auras, two pairs of eyes watched him intensely.  
  
The next morning, Sakura woke up and showered, put on her school uniform {A.N.: the one at the end of the original Japanese Card Captor Sakura manga volume 12 (last), which would be: white skirt with black stripe at hem, black long-sleeved "jacket" with 3 sets of 2 white side-by-side buttons and white tie with 2 black stripes near its end.} and headed to the kitchen, where she would greet Syaoran.  
  
One problem: Syaoran was not there.  
  
She called for him, but there was no answer, so Sakura decided to check his room, but as she was about to go in, the girl remembered the incident on the previous day and stopped herself in time. With a soft knock on the door, the Japanese girl called him.

"Syaoran-kun? May I come in?" She asked gently.  
  
No answer.  
  
"Syaoran-kun?" Sakura tried again.  
  
But there was still no answer.  
  
Knocking, she tried to hear anything that could have come from inside the room.  
  
Not a word.  
  
"Syaoran-kun, I'm coming in. OK?"  
  
This said, even though there still was no reply, Sakura entered the room. Once inside, she found him lying on his bed... and he didn't look good: his whole body was sweating and the pain he was feeling at the moment was evident on his face. The covers on his bed were tossed around, showing he had moved a lot during sleep, leaving his perfectly built body uncovered, his boxers the only thing he had on, his toned bare chest, like all of his body, was wet with sweat. What worried her most, though, was the way he was trembling so much, like a lonely little child afraid of the dark it's in.  
  
Sakura didn't know what was happening, but she knew whatever it was, it wasn't good.  
  
Running towards his bed, she reached for him. Gently shaking the boy, Sakura began to panic when he didn't wake up. "Syaoran-kun! Syaoran-kun! Wake up! Syaoran-kun!" She called as she began to shake him harder, but he didn't show a single sign of waking. Getting desperate, she yelled again. "Syaoran-kun!"  
  
Her eyes were starting to feel the familiar heat that prologues salty water. Bringing him closer, the girl hugged his still trembling hot body to her own. "Oh! He's way hyperthermic!" she thought to herself while lovingly looking at his face where pain was written all over. Oh, how she longed to take it away, to MAKE it all GO away.  
  
Sakura raised a hand to cup his cheek and before she realized what she was doing, her face leaned closer to his and her eyes closed themselves. Feeling his warm breath on her face, mixing with hers, she pecked his lips, then captured them with her own; they were the same as the day before, except this time they were unmoving.  
  
"Syaoran-kun..." She whispered in the kiss.  
  
Nothing.  
  
Silence.  
  
Then it hit her: too much silence. She realized he had stopped trembling; his chest had its normal slow movement, rising up and down against her own.  
  
Slowly opening her eyes, she viewed his intense amber gaze, and then quickly backed away, head down, an awkward feeling growing.  
  
A few seconds passed as they sat staring at each other, and then he smiled at her.  
  
"Thanks, Sakura. I was having a hard time back there. I couldn't wake up either... how strange." He traced of.  
  
She nodded when acknowledging this, the words slowly sinking in. Silently she looked to the side where the alarm clock was kept.  
  
"7 o'clock?! Oh, no! I have to go! Classes start at 7:20am!" She shouted as she jumped off his bed and ran towards the door, stopping when she heard his voice.  
  
"What do you mean 'I'? Shouldn't it be 'we'?" He asked, although he already suspected what her answer would be.  
  
He guessed right.  
  
"What do YOU mean 'we'? YOU are not going anywhere, Syaoran-kun! You'll sleep here until you recover at least part of your health or from that fever!" The girl replied worriedly.  
  
"Nonsense! It was just a bad dream, not a fever. I'm OK now!" Syaoran calmly answered while trying to get up.

Unfortunately he felt dizzy and fell back to his original place on the bed.  
  
Seeing this, Sakura sighed. "Syaoran-kun" She started calmly. "No, you're not! Please... stay here and rest." She said before turning and leaving his room.  
  
Syaoran sighed and got up, with some difficulty, a little after she closed his bedroom door and recovering his balance a bit. Sitting on his bed, he put a hand to his face, as if hiding it. "I can't tell her about the nightmare. it would scare her to death." He whispered to himself, sighing, as bits of it plaid back in his mind.  
  
Black. Pure darkness. Blindness.  
  
Screams. His friends. Sakura.  
  
Running to them. Not reaching.  
  
Death.  
  
Yelling.  
  
Something holding him.  
  
Feeling weaker.  
  
Trying to shout. Voice trapped.  
  
Collapsing on the floor.  
  
Weaker.  
  
Sakura's scream for him.  
  
Blackness again.  
  
A smile on his face when he saw her closed eyes as he woke up.  
  
"I can't... tell her." He decided, panting. "I don't think it was JUST a nightmare. I know I felt... an aura... a magic aura."  
  
Outside, the eyes that were present earlier had left minutes before.  
  
**Well, that raps up Chapter THREE - THE NIGHTMARE!**  
  
A.N.: Like I had said before, except for a few exceptions, the chapters get bigger from the fourth and up, so prepare yourselves for more reading!!  
  
_Next chapter: The Attack(s). Need I say more? Yes?! OK, just a hint: Suuki and Yami reveal their abilities! (Ho ho ho.)  
_  
People, please review, whether you liked it or not! Constructive criticism is welcome!  
  
A special thanks to Moon, who has been helping me in more ways than one, by reviews and e-mails. Thanks a lot!  
  
And I'm not telling who will die until the time comes; ho ho ho! {A.N.: Those who know me also know that I really do laugh like that sometimes.}   
  
Syaoran-Lover


	4. The Attacks part 01: What happened to Sy...

A.N.: July 13th is Syaoran's b-day! And CLAMP didn't forget it! It was there on the birthday calendar! I was so moved I decided to put up the next chapter! Oh yeah, I had a blast at the celebration! Wonderful!  
  
_JAPANESE DICTIONARY for this chapter (4 - The Attack)_  
  
Ittekimasu - expression which could be translated as "I'm leaving now."  
  
Watashi - I/me  
  
E... to... - ahh... ehh...  
  
Ohayou gozaimasu - the polite way of saying "Good morning" (used in the time period that goes from dawn to approximately 10am)  
  
Arigatou - thanks  
  
Ore - one way a boy could refer to himself  
  
Heiki - fine (as in OK)  
  
Doko - where  
  
Daijoubu - see Japanese dictionary for chapter 3  
  
**THE LI GUARDIANS  
  
Chapter 4 - THE ATTACK  
**  
Sakura finished her breakfast, washed the dishes and exited the apartment in haste, not bothering about saying "Ittekimasu", thinking Syaoran was sleeping.  
  
How naïve of her.  
  
As soon as he heard the door closing, Syaoran came out of his room; uniform on, hair combed the way he always did it, or the most he could anyway, and school case in his right hand; his magic items hidden in various places.  
  
After taking a few quick bites on a red apple {A.N.: Don't worry, it's not poisoned! :p} and drinking some orange juice, he headed for the door. "I'm sorry, Sakura, but I know you wouldn't let me out of bed if you were here, and I don't want t miss school, especially not because of this stupid dream." he voiced a thought as he put on his shoes and walked out.  
  
Sakura had just arrived at school when it started to rain. She went to her classroom, where it started to rain. She went to her classroom, where Yamazaki, Chiharu, Rika and Naoko were already waiting. As she walked to her seat, she noticed Suuki and Yami were wearing very troubled expressions; wondering if she should ask them what was wrong, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.  
  
"... ight, Sakura?"  
  
"Huh? Gomen, Yamazaki-kun, I was somewhere else. What did you just say?" She asked apologetically.  
  
"I just said Li-kun is late. Don't you think so too, Sakura?"  
  
"Oh, Syaoran-kun's not coming today. He's kind of sick." She replied.  
  
"Oh, so he called you, huh?" Chiharu asked.  
  
"E... to... watashi wa... Syaoran-kun no..." She started, but at that moment, thankfully, she was interrupted as the sliding door was opened, revealing a very wet boy surrounded by girls, all trying to help him dry up. Of course, he refused them all politely, elegantly entering the classroom and closing the door behind him.  
  
He sighed, greeted his classmates and headed to his seat. Noticing his friends were looking strangely at him, he answered what he thought was their unspoken question.  
  
"It started raining a few minutes ago... and I got all soaked."  
  
Rika was the first to speak: "Li-san, Sakura-san had just told us you weren't coming when you made your entrance. She said you were... sick."  
  
No sooner had these words escaped Rika's lips, Sakura finally came back to reality and darted over to him, too preoccupied to notice Suuki's and Yami's faces still had the worried expressions, but they seemed somewhat relieved.  
  
"Syaoran-kun! You're supposed to be resting! And you were even caught by the rain! Didn't I tell you to stay home?! You were burning when I woke you up!"  
  
"I know, Sakura, but it's not a fever. I'm feeling alright... at least enough to come to school. I can't miss it that easily."  
  
"Well... yes, but..." Sakura started, but she was interrupted by Chiharu once more, who had heard all and had clicked things together.  
  
"Sumimassen, Sakura-chan, demo Li-kun no apatto ni nani shiterunda no ka (Excuse me, Sakura, but what were you doing in Li's apartment)?" The double pig-tailed girl asked with a shy tone in her voice.  
  
"Eh?!" Was the only thing Sakura and Syaoran answered in unison as they froze... and the others noticed.  
  
"Yeah, Li-kun, why was Kinomoto-san at your apartment? What were you TWO doing?" Yamazaki asked, a bit of slyness and a little mockery in his voice as he approached his friend. The others, Syaoran and Sakura noticed, were also ganging up on them and seemed very curious too, including Rika, who usually ignored these situations.  
  
"Uh... we... we were... um..." They couple stammered together, both blushing madly as they were backing up until they bumped on the wall in the back of the room. Their friends seemed to be enjoying this.  
  
Sakura was about to try to change the topics when, out of nowhere, Suuki and Yami appeared between the two parties.  
  
"Stop right there, all of you!" Said Suuki, her voice a little higher than normal, but still not a yell.  
  
"No one will get any closer to Syaoran-sama!" Continued Yami.  
  
Although the others were surprised and slightly scared, Naoko, who was actually liking the turn of events, asked, "And what about Sakura-chan? Why are you permitting her to be close to Li-kun?"  
  
"Because she is the only one who has earned permission." They both answered, once again surprising the whole group.  
  
Silence... and a feeling of uncertainty in the air.  
  
Just then, the door opened again, this time revealing a smiling black-haired girl.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura let out. Everyone turned sideways to the door entrance. "Help!" She mouthed voicelessly. Her friend immediately understood and dashed towards them, putting her umbrella away.  
  
"Ohayou gozaimasu! Sakura-chan, Li-kun, I stayed up last night editing the video we made last week!"  
  
"What video?" Naoko asked, hers and the others' curiosity getting the best of them.  
  
Walking to her desk, Tomoyo wisely avoided them as she answered "I'm not saaaaaaaayiiiiing!" In a sing-song way, the others following her.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan, arigatou!" Sakura whispered to no one in particular, while Syaoran just breathed in relief.  
  
Yami and Suuki turned to then, the worried expressions returning to their faces. Yami took Syaoran's right hand in both of his and Suuki put hers on his forehead. "Syaoran-sama, are you alright? Is your body better now?" {A.N.: How could it be any better? :p}  
  
"Aa. Arigatou. Ore wa mou heiki da (Yeah. Thanks. I'm better now)." The boy in question replied. He couldn't help smiling at their genuine concern.  
  
"In that case, we'll head back to our desks. Tell us if you need anything." Suuki said, both she and Yami walking to their respective places.  
  
The first classes went by smoothly. Soon it was recess time, but since it was still raining, everyone stayed indoors.  
  
Sakura, Syaoran and the others remained in their classroom talking. Tomoyo was describing how she did the video when Syaoran, sitting on his desk and totally oblivious to everyone, felt a magic aura coming from outside the school building. He risked a quick glance at his girlfriend and saw her chatting happily with their friends, commenting something Tomoyo had just said, probably so entertained she didn't look like she noticed the presence. Although Sakura was now the most powerful magician on Earth, she still wasn't as experienced as Syaoran, who never let his guard down. {A.N.: According to CLAMP, at the end of vol.12 of the CCS manga, Sakura theoretically became the most powerful magician when she surpassed Clow by dividing his powers.}  
  
Silently, so as not to get anyone's attention, he got up, exited the classroom and began to track down the magic aura as he ran up the corridor. "Whose aura is this?" He questioned himself. Even though it was raining harder, he decided it was more important that he found out who, or what, was outside. "I have a bad feeling about this!" He said in a whisper.  
  
Exiting the school building, he realized immediately, in the worst way, that the rain was thick enough to hurt as it heavily pounded on him. Ignoring this fact the best he could, he searched, but nothing out of the ordinary came to his view; but the rain made things a whole lot difficult to see...  
  
Sakura was still chatting when she felt Syaoran's aura seemed to violently fade. She turned around, only to notice he wasn't there... obviously. Panicking, she asked the others. "Syaoran-kun wa doko (Where's Syaoran)?"  
  
But no one was able to answer her; Syaoran had crept out discretely enough. She then noticed Suuki and Yami weren't in the classroom either. "Something's happening here." She thought to herself. "I'm going after them!"  
  
Turning to her friends, she dismissed herself from the conversation and ran out. Not knowing what to expect and fearing the worst, she quickly passed the corridors that led to the outside, going the way Syaoran's faint aura had been last felt by her.  
  
As she exited the building, she searched for something, anything, that could give her a clue of whereabouts. At first, she saw nothing of the sort, but looking a little bit more, she was able to distinguish a small heap on the ground to her left.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!" She screamed, heading in his direction. Reaching his crumpled form, the girl dropped to her knees and cradled his head on her lap. He stirred slightly, and as his eyes began to open slowly, Sakura asked gently "Daijoubu ka?"  
  
As is vision began to focus and his hearing kicked in, Syaoran was able to acknowledge his situation. "Sakura?" He asked. She nodded. He smiled a little, but the expression was quickly replaced by one of pain and quick ragged breaths, one of his hands involuntarily hurrying to his left side, where he had obviously been hurt.  
  
Sakura, of course, noticed all this and worriedly looked as he clutched his side so tight, she was sure he was trying to rip it off his body.  
  
The rain kept showering both, mixing with the sweat that was appearing on his forehead for the second time that day.  
  
Sakura put her hand on his and squeezed it lightly, just so her presence there wouldn't go unnoticed, telling him she'd be there if he wanted anything. "Syaoran-kun, what happened?" She asked sweetly, more to keep him awake than out of curiosity.  
  
**TO BE CONTINUED :p**  
A.N.: Well, it's too late (past midnight) and I have to get up at 9am, hopefully after a good night's rest, so I'll leave chapter 4 like this for now. Don't worry, though, I'll have the other half of this chapter soon enough (I think by the end of next week)!  
  
I LLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVE you, Syaoran! Happy 2003 Birthday!!!!  
  
Feel free to REVIEW for this first half! 


	5. The Attacks part 02: Too many disappeari...

Hello again! Part 02 of chapter 04! I was going to put them together, but I decided to leave it in two until I post the next chapter so you could read without any problems!  
  
Where were we? Oh yes... Syaoran died.  
  
Syaoran: ahem  
  
Syaoran-Lover: Sorry. OK, so he didn't die... yet :p  
  
Syaoran: Would you really kill me?  
  
Syaoran-Lover: I have been thinking about that. I don't think I'd be able to... last time I tried, I ended up crying at what I had written. I'm not sure that's a good sign   
  
Syaoran: So you won't kill me?  
  
Syaoran-Lover: Hey, you are the hero in all my CCS stories, almost. Heroes die too, you know? It depends on the author's mood or needs...  
  
Syaoran: oo She didn't answer my question...  
  
Syaoran-Lover: I know. Would you please remind me where we stopped again?  
  
Syaoran: Last line of part 01 of chapter 04: The Attacks.  
  
Syaoran-Lover: Oh, yeah. Thanks. ¬¬

* * *

Sakura already had a faint idea of what the answer to her simple question would be, taking her boyfriend's magic aura was currently close to nothing, and he himself didn't look any better either.  
  
He didn't answer her, although he wanted to, but at that moment, all he could do was struggle to breathe, his head on her lap, her presence comforting him... and he was grateful for it.  
  
As the pain subsided, Syaoran's breathing became slower and he gradually let go of himself as his hand clasped hers, the rain pouring down on them.  
  
"Sakura... let's get out of here before anyone comes out. I know it's still raining and school's not over, but let's get back to my apartment, OK?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.  
  
The girl only nodded in agreement.  
  
Knowing she wouldn't be able to carry her boyfriend back home by herself, and even if she could, it wouldn't be unnoticed, she came to her last resort: grabbing her magic key from it's hanging place, reciting the words to unlock it's power. As it became surrounded by light, the magical object transformed to a mainly pink wand, which she quickly used to manipulate the chosen cards for this occasion.  
  
"Fly! Shield! Grant me your powers!" She shouted in the rain and, suddenly, a giant bird appeared before her, summoned by her thoughts.  
  
Knowing already what to do, it gently picked up the boy on its master by his collar and him on its own back, then lowered itself just enough for Sakura to climb on it too.  
  
When both were secure, The Shield card formed a nearly invisible barrier, to protect them from the rain, and the bird took off, Sakura tightly holding Syaoran so he wouldn't fall, as they chose to remain in silence, observing the quiet city below, its colored lights flicking on and off.  
  
Halfway to his apartment, the sky got so loaded with dark clouds, it looked like night, but it was only late morning. Although the darkness seemed to be trying to get them, they had The Shield card's protection, but Sakura noticed it wouldn't last much longer, since the black forces were already surpassing her defenses. She was about to try something else, when suddenly the shield was broken and the darkness came right at her, knocking the girl off the huge bird as she began to fall.  
  
"Sakura!" Was Syaoran's weak scream.  
  
Sakura was so scared, she couldn't even scream, and by the time she recovered from her shock a few seconds later, The Fly had already caught her.  
  
"Arigatou!" She thanked the bird, but just then realized something was wrong... "Syaoran-kun wa inai! Doko ni iru ka?! (Syaoran's not here! Where is he?!)" She cried out, searching. As she looked up, the darkness came to her view, except now it had a shape: a sphere. Sakura looked at it a bit more and a gasp escaped her rose-colored lips as she noticed something was trapped inside it, or better, someone: Syaoran... and he was falling too.  
  
The boy tried to open his eyes, but he couldn't tell if he had succeeded or not, there was just too much black around him. "Uh! Why do I have a headache?" He asked himself while firmly holding the back of his head.  
  
At that moment, he felt a shock, not powerful one, but unnoticeable either. "What was tha..." He started, but his sentence went unfinished as he felt another shock, this time with some lightning crackling too, making it possible to see something. It was only then that the boy realized his situation as his memories came back to him. "Oh, no!"  
  
Knowing, somehow, Sakura was fine, he stopped worrying about her as he quickly stood up and called upon his magic sword, which materialized from a small round Chinese object he took out of one of his pockets, getting ready to fight, but knowing he wouldn't last much.  
  
Standing... Syaoran waited for an attack, which didn't take too long. Once started, the lightning and the shocks came again and again, more and more powerful each time they did. He actually succeeded in blocking some with his sword, but it wasn't enough. Before he knew it, he was down, and worse: he didn't have much energy left to keep consciousness at his side.  
  
Unaware of the rain that was soaking her, Sakura watched horrified as her beloved surrendered his consciousness and drifted away. She already knew his magic power had weakened with whatever had happened so far, but he had somehow fought his own weakness for a few moments, raising some of her hopes as he did so, but it hadn't been enough to overcome this obstacle... and she hadn't been fast enough to find him; by the time she did, he was already collapsing, his sword turning back to its original form. What terrified her most was his presence slowly disappearing... and she couldn't help him. Sakura was about to start crying as despair began to fill her, when a firm voice echoed through her mind...  
  
"Use The Sword card!" Someone shouted.  
  
Because of the heavy rain, she couldn't hear very well, but one word came clear to her: sword. Not knowing what she could attempt if Syaoran's had failed, she decided to try anyway. Getting her card, she called out "Sword!" and the wand transfigured to a thin pink western sword, The Fly already charging towards the direction her boyfriend was in.  
  
In one only the sphere was easily split in two and it was Syaoran's turn to fall from the sky.  
  
Surprisingly, however, before the girl could even react, the two halves fused together and this time she was the one inside it. Worried about Syaoran, Sakura tried to catch a glimpse of him through the dark mass in which she was imprisoned, but all she could see was pitch-black, making her realize she could see what was in, but couldn't see what was out.  
  
Not having time to panic for herself, because Syaoran was her top priority at the moment, she used the sword again, slashing whatever that was in small pieces that scattered in every direction.  
  
As she began to fall, The Fly once again saved her and raged downwards, knowing what its master wanted. Sakura turned the Sword back to a card, her wand reappearing in her hand at its original shape.  
  
When they finally spotted the falling boy, he was already dangerously close to the rooftops of the city's buildings. The Fly sped up, but suddenly a flying shadow caught her attention and next thing she knew, Syaoran was gone. "Not again!" She thought.  
  
At that instant, Sakura saw someone standing on one of the rooftops, looking up at her. "Kage-san!" She recalled, realizing something the moment his name escaped her lips. "You were the one who told me to use the sword weren't you?" she asked, trying to make her voice be heard through the heavy rain.  
  
The black-haired boy just kept standing there, looking directly at her, as the rain falling on both of them. Finally, some time later, he nodded. Turning his back to her, he motioned for the girl to follow him as he began jumping from one rooftop to another over and over, making his way over the city towards a destination Sakura did not know of.  
  
Wondering if she should follow him or not, her doubts were instantly shattered as Yami's voice once again echoed in her mind, but with a hint of irony this time.  
  
"Syaoran-sama no tokoro ni ikitaimasen no desu ka?" {A.N.: That was a really bad attempt of mine to make him ask Sakura: "Don't you want to go (to) where Syaoran-sama is?" in a polite way.}  
  
Those words were all it took to make oblige to his silent command, realizing it was her best chance of finding her beloved brown-haired boyfriend. "He suddenly seems to be disappearing a lot now." She thought sarcastically, immediately scolding herself for doing so... after all, it wasn't really Syaoran's fault.  
  
None of the two gave a second thought about the black mass right above them, which would play a big roll in their lives. If they had, they might have seen it recover little by little...  
  
**END of CHAPTER FOUR - THE ATTACK(S)  
**  
_Syaoran-Lover: Stay tuned for Chapter 5 - The Story! Yami and Suuki will finally reveal their identities... AND you will get to know what is going on... kind of :p  
_  
Syaoran: Ore no koibito (My lover), you're not on TV.  
  
Syaoran-Lover: You finally admit you love me Syaoran-kun!  
  
Syaoran: Just trying out how that would sound, don't overreact or I'll never do it again!  
  
Syaoran-Lover: Hai! (Yes!)  
  
Syaoran: Please REVIEW this baka na (not translating that) story so I'll get to know why I suffer so much on it.  
  
Syaoran-Lover: You always suffer on my stories.  
  
Syaoran: I want to know what makes me suffer on THIS one.  
  
Syaoran-Lover: But you already know, I always tell you my plots before I write them! It's because of ... mph!  
  
-Syaoran-Lover gets tied and gagged by Syaoran-  
  
Syaoran: I'm just trying to help you!  
  
Syaoran-Lover's thinking balloon: I knew he cared! He's so sweet, in his own way...  
  
Syaoran sighs, turns to readers and bows in apology  
  
Syaoran: Sumanai minna (Sorry people). This author won't write anything for a while. Please REVIEW and let me know why must I suffer so!  
  
Syaoran-Lover's new thinking balloon: He's so kawaii! Syaoran-kun, I LOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVE you!  
  
Syaoran takes a needle out of nowhere and pops the balloon. Grabs Syaoran-Lover by the shirt and drags the said out of the room.  
  
_Advertisement :p (NOT REALLY, just a ff hint)  
  
Check out Fyne, Elesyne Lyne Inverse's Beyblade fic: The Ice and the Fire. She made Beyblade; an anime I personally don't like much, except for Kai, the only one worth watching it for, in my opinion; turn into something I totally got hooked on. It's like turning trash to gold. You'll see what I mean when you read it, especially if you're also a Kai fan. Fyne, you're wonderful!_


	6. The Story

A.N.: Finally! I know it's been long and I'm really sorry for this delay. I wanted to post it up sooner, but only now did I get the chance, so I do hope you read and liked "I'll Get You Back for That", my first Beyblade fic and my first oneshot . I forgot to mention that _NOTHING _serious happened between our favorite Card Captor Sakura couple on chapter 2 after all that fluffiness; at least, not yet...  
  
Well, anyways, I also want you to know that this chapter will give you a little (quote "little") background of the what's going on behind all this, so it will mainly be talking. Also, both this chapter (5) and chapter 6 are small, but from the 8th on, not only does the action start...  
  
Syaoran: Hasn't it already started? I've already gone down! -  
  
Kai: She means the REAL action.  
  
Yes, well, as I was saying, the action will start from chapter 8...  
  
Kai: 7.  
  
What?  
  
Kai: The real action...  
  
Syaoran: ... starts on chapter 7.  
  
Alright, that's it! YOU give them the news!  
  
Syaoran: Chapters 5 and 6 are small.  
  
Kai: Chapters 8 to 11 are bigger.  
  
Syaoran: The epilogue is also small.  
  
Kai: And this idiot owns nothing but plot and original characters and some weird other stuff and OOC you might see.   
  
_The disclaimer is already done in the 1st chapter! No need to do it again!_   
  
Kai: Just wanted to remind you or the painful reality. --  
  
And here I was thinking you actually cared a bit. Enough already, thanks for giving the notices for me. Here we go with chapter 5!  
  
**THE LI GUARDIANS  
  
Chapter 5 - THE STORY**  
  
It didn't take too long to arrive at their destination. Sakura followed Yami to an unknown building that looked like it had been recently concluded. Upon landing, she called back The Fly and The Shield, then went in the place behind the raven-haired boy, who guided her to a door on the last floor. Opening it without making much noise, both entered, heavy breaths making way to their ears.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!" She recognized, running in their direction. Passing through another door, she found the brown-haired boy with his shirt open, fine chest exposed, lying on his back on top of a bed. Sitting beside it was Suuki, her eyes on him.  
  
Sakura dashed across the room and was immediately on her knees on the other side of the bed, Syaoran's hand in one of hers. She felt it tighten, signaling he acknowledged her presence. His eyes were closed, but he was mildly aware of her, even in sleep. The auburn-haired girl smiled at the thought, and then noticed the other girl was looking at her with a strange expression imprinted on her face. Feeling a bit uneasy, Sakura decided she wanted to know why Syaoran was in that shape.  
  
"Ne, Moriko-san, nani ga atteru ka (What's happening, Moriko)?"  
  
At first, Suuki only stared at the other girl, but Yami gave her a light push and she seemed to come back to her senses, as if she had been in a trance. "Sou ne. Kiite kudasai. Ano yami wa Kurotsuki deshita yo. Kare wa Syaoran-sama no inochi hoshiin desu. (Oh, yeah. Please listen. That darkness was Kurotsuki. He wants Syaoran-sama's life.)" She explained.  
  
Sakura blinked. "Kurotsuki? Syaoran-kun no inochi? Doushite? (Kurotsuki? Syaoran-kun's life? Why?" She asked, puzzled.  
  
Suuki sighed. Yami decided to take over, knowing his partner needed all the strength she had at the moment. "234 years ago, a man, who went by the name of Kurotsuki, was considered the most powerful and the most evil. Some even considered him a demon out of control. He went about Hong Kong and provoked havoc, from small accidents to big catastrophes! It was total chaos! Then, one day, the Li clan decided to stop him, even if they weren't as strong as him; but they had to do it. So the leader of the clan sought help from his subordinates and set out to confront Kurotsuki. The only thing they were able to do, though, was to trap him in a small sphere that could be held on a human hand and sealed it. I know it sounds simple, but it wasn't. Most of the ones involved in that action died less than a week later, including the Li clan leader. This has been kept secret throughout generations and only a selected few know of it. The sphere was carefully locked away with magic, somewhere inside the Li mansion, for better protection. It's part of the many secrets of the clan."  
  
He stopped and took a long breath. Closing his eyes in along sigh, Yami continued. "That's where we come in: unfortunately, we did not know about it. We were trained to obey and be useful to the Li clan, particularly to Syaoran-sama. We were taught how to fight and how to use our special abilities, but we were not told of this story until after the accident. When Suuki and I were roaming about the mansion, we accidentally found a trap door. Curious, we opened it and entered the room it was sealing. A bit further to the corner, we found a small cubicle lavender object on a pillow, 5 candles lit around it on an altar. We knew we shouldn't get too close, but I tripped and Suuki fell with me on top of everything and the stuff scattered all over the floor. That way we ended up breaking the only thing that kept humanity safe from that the of Kurotsuki: the seal was broken when we touched it together, and he escaped from within the sphere. I still can't believe how clumsy we were! And because of it Syaoran-sama is in great danger!" Yami cried out, hands curled up in fists so tight, they were already deadly white, which didn't go unnoticed by Sakura.  
  
"Kage-san, yamete kudasai (please stop)! Your hand will go numb!" She warned, genuinely concerned.  
  
"Can't help it. Suuki, are you finished yet?" He asked, looking at the girl in question.  
  
"Almost." She answered, without moving anything but her lips. "Keep telling her, she'll need to know as much as possible."  
  
Sakura wanted to ask what was Suuki doing, since the black-haired girl was only staring at the unconscious boy, but Yami turned back to face her and continued. "Alright. Where was I? Oh, yes, he escaped. However, 234 years have gone by and his body no longer exists, he is pure magic energy now, but existing none the less. Of course, he wants to continue what he started, but for that, he needs a body, and for a body, he needs life energy."  
  
Sakura gasped at this. "You can't mean... you're not saying..." She stammered, looking at her boyfriend, but the raven-haired boy's green eyes had already answered her worst fear, and she gulped when he verbalized and answer.  
  
"Yes, that's right. Of course, he wants revenge on the Li clan, so what would be better than killing one of them in same process as his revival? What would be better than killing the young heir at the same time as he comes back to life?" The boy asked, his voice deadly calm, hands bleeding from the pressure he was putting. "He had a fever this morning, did he not? Well, that was Kurotsuki's doing: he attacked Syaoran-sama during the night, planning to finish the heir there and then. We were able to throw him off, although we did not have success in waking Syaoran-sama up, Kurotsuki's spell was too strong. That's when you came in as we hid in the shadows. You were able to pull him out of the nightmare he was having, and by doing so, you earned the right to be near him. However, Kurotsuki did get a good amount of life energy... and because of that, Syaoran-sama's body got weak; that's why he had a fever. At recess time, he sensed something and went out to investigate, with us secretly following him. Outside the school, we saw that darkness, but since it was foggy, we saw it only to late and Syaoran-sama was attacked. That's when we discovered that Kurotsuki had acquired mass. With the life energy he absorbed at night, he was able to become solid, but not get a shape. Syaoran-sama, however, did not have enough time to recover, as you can see..."  
  
Sakura was speechless. How was she going to help Syaoran? How could she fight against someone whose magic energy was able to survive 234 years, and without a body?  
  
And for no apparent reason, a sudden question popped in her head, and next ting she knew, her voice had already made her thoughts public: "Why do you know so much about the Li clan, better yet, why are you so intent on protecting Syaoran-kun?"  
  
Yami eyed her seriously, but Suuki stood up and prevented him from doing anything. "I'm done." She pronounced, exhausted.  
  
Sakura blinked in confusion, but then, Syaoran gave little movement and she turned back to him. "Syaoran-kun!"  
  
He stirred and opened his eye, trying to register his surroundings. All he knew was that Sakura was there, and that his head hurt a lot. "Nanda (What)..." He started, but Suuki interrupted him.  
  
"Syaoran-sama, that's as much energy as I could give you, I have not enough strength to give anymore, but I think both of us will heal before the desperate times. Kurotsuki has escaped and stole yours so he could get a new body." She bowed.  
  
"Inochi no ki ka (life energy)? Douyatte omae ga dekiru no ka (how can you be able to)? You don't have my energy life force; it would be impossible to complete such a task successfully without it!" he wondered aloud, things suddenly clicking in his mind as Sakura helped him sit up on the bed.  
  
"I do. We do. Syaoran-sama, you gave us birth, remember?" She asked, but Syaoran's confused expression, and Sakura's dumbstruck one, was enough to answer. "Guess not." Suuki replied as she sighed, lining up next to her partner. "Syaoran-sama, we are your guardians, Li Guardians, to be exact. You granted us life when you yourself were just presented with it. Being only a baby, you were not able to contain all your magic power, so even if you didn't know what you were doing, you created to bodies to hold the excess, putting some of your life energy into them, thus we were born. Such a thing is actually quite common in the Li clan, not normal, but common just the same. And so, unknown to you, we were trained to aid should you need it; to return your life energy or magic power, should you need it; to die to protect you, should you need it. Our lives... are yours." The female Li Guardian finished, pausing between the last words for effect.  
  
Syaoran could only gape at the two before him, speechless, as he tried to absorb all the information they were granting him with. The Li clan heir had been told long ago about Kurotsuki, but he had never expected the magician to be so strong, and the surprising thing was that it probably wasn't even half of his real strength, since he only had mass and energy at the moment, but not enough life energy and certainly not a body... yet.  
  
Sakura looked at her boyfriend, who was deep in thought, and then at the other two. She had known it the moment Syaoran had been attacked by the dark mass, and had refused to accept it, but now the pounding truth was evident and undeniable: their peaceful life was over, they were going to have to battle once again, except this time, the reward to their victory or loss would cost Syaoran's existence.  
  
**END of CHAPTER 5 - THE STORY**  
  
A.N.: Phew! Finally done!  
  
So the villain showed up, sort of, and his name is Kurotsuki! Yami's and Suuki's identities were revealed and so was the reason why this fic is named the way it is.   
  
I know this chapter only had dialogues, and I'm sincerely sorry if any of you find it boring, but that's the way the story goes. And I'm also sorry to say that the next chapter will be quite similar, but it's shorter and a bit more kawaii :p  
  
_Chapter 6: The Health holds a few more SS moments, and their final break before everything is twisted over again! But I never said that Kurotsuki wouldn't interfere with their "break time". (That also means that the action will be in 5 big chapters! Talk about a lot for them to do!)_  
  
I do hope you realize that life energy can "multiply" itself until no more is needed, thus, even though they were created with very little life energy, it "multiplied" and they acquired an actual life. The reason why they were so hasty to replace Syaoran's, however, was because he was already to short of it, and it would take some time for recovery, something both Suuki and Yami know they don't have much of to waste.  
  
To those who actually wanted to see a copy of the sketches of my original characters, I'm so sorry I'm taking forever, but if you leave your e-mail and a "request" I'll just take them somewhere else and send it to you, if I get the chance.   
  
In case anyone wonders, the reason why Suuki, Yami and Syaoran have different surnames, though they're from the same family, is because Suuki and Yami are meant to act like normal people, protecting their master without letting their identities be known to the public in general.  
  
Syaoran: Make her happy by reviewing so she won't kill me so soon.  
  
Kai: I'm not sure that's a good idea, she'll just make more fics and we'll die in them sooner or later!  
  
Well, Kai got one thing right. But please do leave a review, and if I made any grammar mistakes, please let me know so I can correct them.  
  
_Commercial :p  
  
Read "Staring into Scarlet Eyes - Arch", from Shinigami's Voice, if you like some good Kai-torture and light yaoi (guess who is the couple... rolls eyes). She's done a magnificent job in describing sceneries, in worshipping Kai, in making him a hero and in writing an excellent Beyblade story with all we Kai-lovers like best.  
_  
And I'm giving you 3 specials soon: a CCS oneshot, a multi-chaptered BB fic (continuing my previously mentioned oneshot) and a surprise yaoi (not telling anything more about it).  
  
And when this fic is finished, there will be a sweet songfic or a song parody (maybe both) in honor of Kage Yami and Moriko Suuki.  
  
See ya soon!  
  
Kai: Yeah, right, roles eyes real soon...  
  
Syaoran-Lover signing out 


	7. The Health

This has got to be my fastest update! I know it took about 2-3 weeks, but for me, it was fast :p I'm so sorry!!!!!!   
  
Kai and Syaoran: Then stop apologizing and get on with the fic!!!! ¬¬''''  
  
Eeeeeep! Hai!!  
  
_JAPANESE DICTIONARY for this chapter (6 - The Health)_  
  
Warui (na) - sorry, in a very boyish/masculine way  
  
Sumimassen - sorry, in a polite way; can also be used as "excuse me"  
  
Keredo - but, in a complex way; there are lots of ways to say "but", following are some: demo, kedo, keredomo, keredo, datte (this last one can be both "because" and "but")  
  
Tabekuchau - have to eat (hopefully )  
  
**THE LI GUARDIANS  
  
Chapter 6 - THE HEALTH**  
  
Three hours had passed after their talk, and not one had spoken since, so the silence in the room was kept and with it, the tension, the anxiousness, the exhaustion and the worried faces of everyone inside.  
  
Sakura looked at her beloved; he really seemed tired and worn out, his skin was pale and sweat covered it, reminding her of the morning of that same day. That was when she realized the last time he'd eaten decently, at least that she knew of, was the night before and probably nothing after that. He had arrived at school too quickly after her to have been able to eat anything that could be considered a good breakfast. "Close to nothing," as he himself had confessed the week before, the words replaying in her mind. She decided she'd make him something and interrupted the quietness as her voice carried the words she desired.  
  
"May I use your kitchen?!"  
  
However, the Li Guardians had also been paying attention to their master's condition and both got up simultaneously intending on doing the same, but Yami quickly turned his companion down, arguing that she still needed some rest besides the two-hour slumber she'd had. Although clearly worried about Suuki, he had his "creator" as priority, so he alone went into the kitchen after making her lie down on the sofa, leaving Sakura and Syaoran alone in their bedroom.  
  
Taking one of his hands in both of hers, Sakura started to verbally retaliate against what she knew was Syaoran's protesting face; he still had a lack of appetite, apparently. Catching his slender chin with a hand, she gently raised his head a bit more as she made her heart-filled plea.  
  
"Syaoran-kun, onegai, tabete. (Syaoran-kun, please, eat.) You haven't been nourishing yourself well, and that has surely helped Kurotsuki. You won't be able to fight someone like him if you're so weak! Just look at yourself and be rational!" She begged him.  
  
Syaoran looked at the girl, deep thoughts in mind and worried eyes. "Should I tell her?" He mentally pondered. "About everything that's been happening lately, even before all this mess? I've lost my appetite, even though I've been doing my best in studying, in practicing both magic and chants with the ofudas, in physical activities; specially the martial arts; in being with her... I've... been... pushing myself so hard, my body started reacting in a strange way; refusing food is just one of the many weird reactions it's been showing lately, frequent nightmares seem to be another." He raised his eyes to meet hers, their stares locking in each other's view. The auburn-haired girl looked so worried, and he didn't like it when she was like that.  
  
"Sakura..."  
  
"Hai (Yes)?"  
  
"Listen to me, Kurotsuki isn't just a powerful magician, he's a demented one too, and he hates the Li clan to an unimaginable point. So, whatever happens, please...worry about your own safety first, OK?" He asked pleadingly.  
  
"Doushite (Why)? Syaoran-kun, what's wrong? There's something you want to tell me, isn't there? I can see it in your eyes. What is it that's bothering you?"  
  
That caught him off guard: he never expected her to detect that he was worried, at least not to a point where she'd just reflect his worries about her back to himself, and with such a worried expression it touched the eighteen-year-old chocolate haired boy. Before he knew what he was doing, he had the emerald-eyed teenager in his strong arms and squashed to his muscular bare chest. "Sakura..." The name escaped his lips, as his hug became even more strong.  
  
Sakura was greatly surprised not just by his unusual sudden action, but also by the strength of his embrace and the firmness, yet softness, of his torso. His grip tightened around her, making the girl come back to reality, realizing her breathing had stopped. She gasped for air and Syaoran immediately let go.  
  
"Warui na. I don't know what came over me, but, Sakura, whatever happens to me, I want you to know... that I will always be at your side, no matter what!" He said with firm determination, truth written all over him, as he gathered his hands to each side of her face, bringing it closer to him, then whispered in her ear. "And that's because... I..." He trailed his lips across her cheeks, stopping at the corner of her mouth, her skin burning with that mere touch, "... love you..." his lips brushing against hers, "with all my heart." He finished, kissing her as soon as the words were pronounced, arms moving to place themselves one behind her back and the other on her hips.  
  
She was too shocked to react, after all, Syaoran was usually very well behaved, and what did he mean by "no matter what happens"? What was he thinking? Sakura was truly worried about this and was seriously set on asking him, but his hot lips, somehow expertly moving on hers wouldn't let the girl think about anything else except him, so the topic was quickly forgotten and she surrendered herself to the boy {A.N.: Who wouldn't?}.  
  
On instinct, her arms slowly glided to his neck, deepening the kiss. Syaoran's perfect movements were driving Sakura crazier by the microsecond. To allow her boyfriend more access, she arched her back; in answer, he put more weight on her, gently and voicelessly urging her to lay down, his body following hers closely as she did so, stopping on top of it when she reached the sheets.  
  
They were so entertained, they never realized Suuki and Yami had walked back into the room at precisely that time, Yami holding a dish with the food he was hoping his "creator" would eat in order to recover if only some of his lost energy. Of course, he hadn't expected to come face-to-face with such a sight, and neither had Suuki. Uneasy with the situation, neither wanted to break the moment which they knew was priceless to their precious master, but Syaoran had to eat, whether he liked it or not, because of his present condition and because of the fierce battle that was to come. In a coincidental time, both made up their minds on what was more urgent and cleared out their throats in unison, succeeding in getting the other couple's attention as the latter parted.  
  
"Sumimassen deshita, keredo, Syaoran-sama ha... tabekuchau yo (Excuse me, but, Syaoran-sama has to eat)." The black-haired boy said, as he carried the food towards the young Li clan heir, but it clear that the chocolate- eyed boy didn't want to eat anything.  
  
Sakura guessed so too. She cupped his face in her hands and brought their eyes only inches apart, giving him another silent plea.  
  
Syaoran sighed, turning his face away: he didn't feel like arguing any more than he did felt like eating, so he just opened his palm in the male Li guardian's direction, which the latter quickly understood and obliged happily.  
  
As they all sat watching Syaoran have his meal, each quietly kept their thoughts to themselves, occasionally glancing back at him just to check if he was really eating.  
  
When the boy finished, his two Guardians decided to let him rest, so Yami exited the room carrying the empty dish in one hand and the worried girlfriend by the other, while Suuki convinced her master to rest, which took her a good 10 minutes. When she finally came out of the bedroom, both Sakura and Yami were waiting in the living room. As soon as the auburn- haired girl saw the ebony-haired one close the door, she hurried to the latter's side, desperately seeking the answer to the question that right then troubled her the most: "Moriko-san, will he be alright? Is everything OK with him? Please answer me!" She asked, close to yelling. Yami walked to the kitchen, he needed not to hear something he already knew.  
  
Suuki raised a hand in front of the other girl's face and gave a sad smile before voicing her reply.  
  
"Unfortunately, I can't heal him completely, although I've covered the most serious problems, but a complete healing would need some time, I'd say 2 weeks, or maybe only 1, if we were lucky, but Kurotsuki will surely attack now that Syaoran-sama is weak, it's the way he acts. It is my job and Yami's, though, to protect Syaoran-sama at all costs, and that, I assure you, is what we will do! We swore to watch over and aid our 'creator' the moment we were asked to, not because we were ordered; and we were not, actually; but because we chose to... and that choice is still our desire. We have to make sure our mistake will not mean Syaoran-sama's life!" Suuki explained, all the while a determined look on her features, a firmly closed fist that trembled from the strength she was putting on it, as she silently vowed once more to protect the young heir from anything and everything that meant harm, including Kurotsuki, and at the same time apologizing a thousand times in her mind to her master for hers and Yami's fatal mistake.  
  
Unknown to her, Yami, in the kitchen, had the same look, the same movements, the same thoughts.  
  
**END of CHAPTER SIX - THE HEALTH**  
  
A.N.: If you're wondering why didn't I have Sakura convince Syaoran to go to sleep, it's because Suuki wanted to do something for him, and she had exhausted herself already, so they figured that image would convince him more; besides, if it was Sakura trying to convince him, it'd probably be the LAST thing he'd do... ;p

If you're wondering why did Suuki and Yami choose to protect Syaoran if they had the choice not to and do something else with their lives, let's just say Syaoran's too wonderful to be forgotten I'd make the same choice if I were given it But I'll get back on that (briefly) in a future chapter.

If you're wondering why Syaoran didn't want to sleep, it's because he was being stubborn ¬¬ And because lack of sleep (not a lot though, just a little less than normal) is one of the weird reactions he mentioned in this chap that his (perfect ) body is showing. And if you're wondering anything else, put it in a REVIEW and I'll gladly answer the ones that won't ruin the fic yet; put anything else you want to comment, like mistakes or incoherencies, we all make'em...  
  
**To Mystical Moon Wolf**: Thanks for your support I can't answer most of those kawaii doubts of yours, but I'll tell you something: Syaoran will not go down without a fight! And I will get a lot of protests in a few future chapters Good thing you understood the storyline and the rest! I do hope you don't forget them, you'll need it in mind if you want to get the twists I made! Now about Kai... who said I AM going to kill him?  
  
**To Avelyn Lauren**: Glad you liked it Thanks for the support!  
  
**To AnimeObsessionFantasy**: If you did/do read the stories I gave hint of, e- mail me so we can "chat" And here you have an update! The next will probably take a little longer, since it's twice as big!  
  
**To Hazel-Beka**: Get Beka to like CCS, Syaoran's so WORTH it!! I was real happy when I got your review, it touched my heart Seriously (  
  
**To Li Star**: Keep your eyes on the screen, things are going to get big from now on   
  
_HAPPY BIRTHDAY to ME! :p I'm 18 ¬¬ (my birthday was last Monday, Oct.20th,2003)  
_  
-Syaoran/Kai/Kouichi all around round table clapping.-

It's party time (yeah, I STILL haven't celebrated ¬¬ glares at and rest of family)! At least I get to party with my favorite characters in the world! Kai! Kouichi! And, of course, Syaoran!  
  
I'm extremely sorry for such a short chap, I think this is what we call a "filler episode", but, hey! I have to give Syaoran&Co a break otherwise the story wouldn't work!  
  
_Next chapter: The Danger (chapter 7). Kawaii moments, embarrassing moments, surprising moments (poor Touya :p) and, of course, perilous moments... coming up next on The Li Guardians chapter 7 - The Danger!_   
  
Want a hint? I'll give you one anyway: download the original (which means the JAPANESE version) OP for Beyblade G-Revolution and 2002 (V-Force)! You will not be disappointed!  
  
And for those who don't know, Beyblade's Takao(Tyson)'s Japanese voice actress is the same as Syaoran's: the wonderful Kumai Motoko! I cried for a relatively long time when I found out! I mean, how could Syaoran's beautiful and perfect Japanese voice (Never heard it? You don't know the GREATNESS you're missing!) be used for stupid, no-reason-why-2-b convinced Takao?!! But in the 2002 (V-Force) series he's a lot more kawaii, so at least it matches more... sighs  
  
COMING UP (if I ever get the time):  
  
New CCS ff (hopefully b4 x-mas!) with "everyone" from the TV series! It will be a Syaoran x Meiling (my first)! I won't give the plot away yet, but it will be AU and a bit intentional OOC. [Card Captor Sakura anime]  
  
The ff that will continue my BB oneshot, but it's still giving me some pains, so it will need more patience. [Beyblade]  
  
A oneshot (?) with Kouichi and Kouji. [Digimon Frontier]  
  
Some song parodies (done, just need a final "backup"); one of them is for Suuki and Yami, but only after I finish this ff.  
  
Depending on how I my mind will be at the time, perhaps a sequel to this ff.  
  
And a CCS oneshot for Sakura and Syaoran! Not decided whether it will follow the anime or the manga, but it's a kawaii one! Should I put lemon? This fic (The Li Guardians) WILL have one, but you will be warned, like on my BB "I'll Get You Back for That".  
  
Kai: You don't stop, do you?  
  
Syaoran: R U really going to write all that, or r these just empty promises?  
  
I WILL write them! Some are already done! Others in editing phase! It's not my fault I get new ideas every day!  
  
Kouichi: Lucky you. Hey! Is this Kouichi x Kouji an incest type, a lemon or just a brotherly love ff?  
  
Actually, I'm planning on making an incest one and a brotherly one (TOO many ideas! HELP! My head will burst!); but _probably_ NO lemon in either.  
  
Kai/Syaoran/Kouichi oO Good luck... ¬¬


	8. The Danger

Hello again! Long time to update, say bye-bye! I'm almost reaching my vacation, so I'll hopefully have enough time to write now! I know everyone says that, but it's not my fault these things happen to me too!  
  
But the wait will be paid off: from this chapter on, the real stuff begins! I'm not saying much more so as not to give in anything, but one thing I'll tell you, this chap is EXTRA big! (take it as an apology for taking this long to update )  
  
Oh, yeah, and a warning note: Sakura uses The fly in this chapter like she used to on the first season, which means transforming her staff; if she can give herself wings, I'm sure she can just make the staff get them like she previously did too!  
  
Without further delay, here we go!  
  
**THE LI GUARDIANS**  
  
**Chapter 7 – THE DANGER**  
  
Syaoran slept soundly until the next day, a Sunday. When he finally did wake up, it was almost lunch time, which was why, as he found out later, that Sakura was not in the room he had been sleeping in, but in the kitchen instead, making some ramen for him.  
  
When she came in with a tray, he eyed her questioningly while raising to sit on the bed. She simply told him told him he'd slept for more than 24 hours and it was time he ate. Syaoran made a face, replying he'd gain at least 10 kg if they kept feeding him like that, but the girl only smiled and put the tray with the food on the bedside table, stopping a moment to look down at him pitifully.  
  
"At least he looks a bit better." She thought to herself. "Yesterday he looked so drained and tired, it was stamped on his features. I hope things turn out well, he doesn't deserve this!"  
  
Syaoran noticed this and reached out for his girlfriend, getting her hand in his, settling it on the left side of his chest once he'd gently forced her to sit beside him, her head lowered so that the bangs covered her emerald pools. "I have an idea of what you're thinking, Sakura." He began, placing his other hand under her chin, raising her head eye-level to him, a serene expression on his face. "Can you feel it? My heartbeat? Sakura, it's still here... I'm still here! Please, don't make that face to me... I hate seeing you like this, with that sadness and all that worry. We'll make it through this, Sakura, because I want to be with you... ALWAYS! So please, smile for me; bless me with that pretty face of yours that was able to melt the ice around my heart and make it beat with the passion your own hand is feeling now."  
  
The hand which had been holding her chin was by then crawling up her face and stopping at her cheek, where his thumb wiped the few tears that were falling.  
  
Sakura just couldn't help it; her free hand met his soothing one, gently squeezing it, a sweet smile on her face as she whispered a quick, but meaningful "Hai!" and gave a slight nod in understanding, to which he smiled.  
  
Silently, Yami and Suuki watched everything from the barely closed door.

* * *

The rest of the Sunday went by without much commotion. Sakura dropped by her house to get a new set of clothes, since she still had on her uniform and the other clothes she'd used two days ago was a bit... sweaty deciding she was going to stay with Syaoran until he was back to his normal conditions, or at least until the end of the day. Of course, her father had his doubts, but decided to allow it, knowing, or at least trusting, that Syaoran would be respectful. Her brother, however, was seriously determined not to allow such a thing, but Sakura ignored him, knowing her boyfriend's situation was far more a priority than Touya's consent, with which she'd deal later. Gathering her stuff, she hurried back to the Li Guardians' apartment; where Syaroan would stay in order to have more safety to recover his health and strength; leaving a furious older sibling at the front door.  
  
When she arrived, Suuki and Yami were seriously arguing with their "creator" about going or not to school the following day, but Syaoran made it clear he was not going to miss school because of hypothesis. Both Li Guardians gave up eventually, not being their nature discuss for long with their master.  
  
After dropping her things in the room she and Syaoran would be staying in, the couple went out for a walk in the neighborhood; even though they knew it wasn't a smart thing to do, but the Li heir was not going to run or hide, as he put it, besides... he needed fresh air... and also some time to reflect too.  
  
After another pointless argument, Suuki and Yami once more gave in, but silently agreed to follow the couple in secret.  
  
And unknowingly to all four, someone else was following too...  
  
At the park in which they stopped, Sakura turned to look at the boy, silently inviting him to sit under a large tree and enjoy its shade. Syaoran immediately accepted, grasping her hand and leading both towards it. As soon as they reached its roots, the chocolate-haired boy abruptly slumped on the grass, laying his back on the ground and his head over his folded arms. Slowly, he closed his eyes and started to drift away just before feeling a little weight on his stomach, to which he unknowingly smiled, recognizing his girlfriend's head laying there.  
  
Sakura looked at the sleeping face, admiring both his amazingly handsome features and his courage to be able to sleep with such a peaceful and carefree face despite everything that was happening to him.  
  
"I have to protect him! Syaoran-kun, I really love you! You probably don't even just how much I do! I wouldn't be able to live anymore if I lost you! Please... keep yourself alive!" Were the thoughts that ran through her mind.  
  
And as she concentrated on the rise of his well-built chest, before it had fallen back to its original level again, she had already drifted away too.  
  
While the silent chestnut-haired couple slept peacefully, another voiceless one carefully watched over the first from another tree not so far away; but all four of them were unaware of another being observing them.  
  
Syaoran offered to accompany her home, since it was Sunday after all and she was due to be there that day, even if she did want to stay with him more, so Sakura decided she'd accept and they walked in silence all the way there, enjoying each other's presence and the rare night, the only exchange or words being a simple question and mischievous answer.  
  
"Sakura, are you going to leave your clothes and things at my apartment, or would you like me to bring them tomorrow? I'm OK with either, it's your choice really."  
  
"Oh, that. It's OK, you don't have to worry about that, Syaoran-kun." She said with a wink and a mysterious smile on her face, to which he gave a confused look, but when she didn't reply to it, they dropped the subject and continued their silent walking.  
  
Once they arrived, Sakura knocked on the door and Touya opened it, not looking too happy that she was late and even less that she had been with Syaoran, but inwardly, he was grateful he had walked her back home. Never minding all this, the girl just went past him and told Syaoran to come in and sit down while waiting, which he did, although not knowing what he was waiting for, while she went up to her room. Touya sighed and closed the door before sitting besides the Chinese boy on the couch.  
  
By the time Sakura came back down 13 minutes later, a backpack in her hands, the brother and the boyfriend were dangerously glaring at each other. The tension could be felt in the air, so she just decided to get it over wit hand tell them of her resolution.  
  
"Oniichan, watashi wa Syaoran-kun to isshou ni iku yo (Brother, I'm going with Syaoran-kun)." The chestnut-haired girl said, sweetly, but firmly, showing no signs of hesitation or room for argument.  
  
With a smile on her face, she looked at both of them: Touya was about to have a rage attack, he was fuming! And poor Syaoran couldn't be any redder...  
  
After a few seconds passed and her words finally sank in, both of them immediately raised from their seats, for the first time being able to say something in unison...  
  
"NANI (WHAT)?!"  
  
To that, she only smiled even more before replying. "I'm going to spend some time at his apartment, so... jya na (bye bye)!"  
  
The imouto (little sister) gave a little bow to Touya and then, linking her arm around Syaoran's, who was still practically paralyzed from the surprise and shock, she dragged him through the door and closed it behind them, hastily calling upon her staff to use The Fly, thus avoiding an angry brother's rage as they soared through the sky, leaving Touya's angry shouts behind.  
  
When they were flying, Syaoran sitting behind her, Sakura started laughing, and eventually, he soon did too. Once the fit died down, he leaned in closer, his cheek caressing hers in a sign of gratitude and affection. The girl only smiled, accepting and enjoying the simple contact.  
  
Taking his hands off the staff, he enveloped her body in his strong embrace, and they flew for hours more above a silent city...

* * *

On the next morning, the alarm clock gave its daily 6am cry, immediately waking up the sleeping couple that laid hugged on a green bed. They smiled to each other and took turns using the bathroom, both coming out of the bedroom 20 minutes later, uniforms and all, ready for breakfast.  
  
As they sat at the table, one's eyes searched the other's, seeking comfort, and then, as if the moment was planned, they simultaneously reached out their hands touching the other's, before a simple smile was shared. It took quite a while for them to began eating, at which point the Li Guardians came in and joined them in the morning meal.  
  
To avoid any suspicions, the chestnut-haired couple parted before the school was at view, Sakura first, Syaoran a few minutes later.  
  
When the boy was finally able to "dismiss" his worried fans, who had heard that he disappeared on Saturday, all of the students were already in class. He and his secret girlfriend exchanged glances, and then Syaoran headed to his seat. Of course, almost no one saw the looks between them, but Tomoyo not only noticed, but pretty much guessed something had happened. Giving Sakura her sweet questioning smile, she mutely asked the emerald-eyed girl what had she missed.  
  
Sakura, immediately understanding that her the long-haired girl had already picked up that something between her and Syaoran had happened, turned an interesting shade of red the moment she remembered the facts, but, lowering her voice so that only her best friend could hear, she answered.  
  
"Watashi to Syaoran-kun wa... isshou ni nemureta (Syaoran and I... slept together)." She whispered and, embarrassed, lowered her head so that the chestnut bangs covered her green eyes, but even so Sakura saw Tomoyo's widen. "Don't misunderstand me, Tomoyo-chan! Sleep together, that was it! Nothing more!" She added, struggling to keep her voice down.  
  
At this, the lavender-eyed girl nodded in understanding, sorrow overcoming her for not being able to record that sweet moment between her friends. Suddenly, a thought struck her mind and she risked a glance at the Li Guardians. By doing so, Tomoyo realized not only their worried faces, but their anguished looks toward their "master". "They must be really fond of Li-kun, but it's not love. Than again, he's in real danger, so it's natural that they're worried." She thought, gathering both the information her Sakura had told her on the phone the previous morning and what she was registering at that instant. "I'm glad Li-kun let Sakura-chan tell me all that. If she hadn't called yesterday, I'd be oblivious to all of this and if I did eventually find out, I know I'd be really sad. I'm sure Li-kun thought about that, otherwise he would surely have all the rights to deny Sakura-chan her request to let me in on this story and, of course, she would stick to his desires. Yappari Li-kun wa kawarimashita wa (I knew it, Li-kun's changed)! Youkatta desu wa (Thank goodness)!"

More thoughts in her mind as she looked from Syaoran to his guardians and back to him. A smile crossed her features as a last thought came to her before her attention was elsewhere focused.  
  
"Sore to (And)... I'm glad this whole thing is bringing them closer and closer to each other!"  
  
Right then, the teacher entered the classroom and after a quick speech, the Mathematics test began. It took Tomoyo and Syaoran only two thirds of an hour to complete their answers, Suuki and Yami quickly following, but Sakura her time to the last second of the 120 minutes. She sighed in relief as she finished... the test of her worst subject, after Physics, was finally over, and she didn't do half as bad as she thought she would.  
  
In 30 minutes, the English and Japanese tests would begin.  
  
Suuki and Yami asked for 10 minutes of that time with Syaoran, who, although not uninterested, accepted a little unwillingly. He followed the couple to the patio, the same one where Kurotsuki had attacked him on Saturday. There, the couple turned to face him, and the Li heir noticed the seriousness in their faces.  
  
The girl, as usual, was the first to speak: "Syaoran-sama, how are you feeling?" She asked, although already knowing the answer.  
  
Syaoran hesitated a bit before replying truthfully. "I've been better. My body is not functioning totally like it normally would, but it's not that bad anymore." {A.N.: Has it ever been? }  
  
To this, both Li Guardians nodded, accepting the answer, but Suuki had to tell him something important, so she continued. "Youkatta desu (Thank goodness). Syaoran-sama, you know you're not very well, and you do know that you'll need at least two weeks to fully recover, don't you?" She asked. He nodded, and the the raven-haired girl continued. "Kedo, Kurotsuki wa sono toki made kitto matteimasen. Sore mo watashi wa Syaoran- sama ga wakarimasu to omoimasu (But Kurotsuki is surely not going to wait until then. I think you understand that too). He will attack as soon as he can, whenever he wishes, and that includes this very moment. Syaoran- sama, we just wanted to warn you so as not to be caught off-guard. Unfortunately we cannot avoid it coming to you, so this is the most we can do for now: warn you. Even so, be sure that we will not leave your side! We, your Li Guardians, will protect you with our own lives, the very same which were given to us by you when you were born. These lives that we hold are yours to do as you wish with them!" She finished and, by then, a determined look and tightly closed fists were worn by both of the Li Guardians. Syaoran was once more amazed by their loyalty.  
  
Yami took a step closer and, taking his "master's" hand in his own, the dark-haired boy looked up to the oak-colored one's eyes, a simple request in a whisper escaping by his voice. "Ki o tsukemashite kudasai (Please take care)!" He pleaded; the Li heir nodded silently. Yami gave a thankful smile and, letting go of the other's hand, stepped back to his original place.  
  
Syaoran was about to turn back and return to class, but a thought occurred to him. He looked again at the two, who were once more standing before him, hands on each of their sides as if waiting for a Commander's order. "I need to know something, Yami, Suuki."  
  
"Hai. Nan desu ka, Syaoran-sama?" Yami asked.  
  
"Do you go through all this for me, Syaoran, on your own free will, or do you go through it all for the Li heir, because you were ordered to? Please, I want the truth from your lips. Ki ni suru na, okottenai-kara (Don't worry, I won't get mad)." He asked them, looking straight in one's eyes then the other's.  
  
The Li Guardians showed no signs of hesitation upon answering in perfect unison. "For you, Syaoran-sama; not only because you gave us our lives, which we use to serve you only, but because both of us have come to love you... for what you are your Li Guardians and your slaves, who will do whatever you want, from delivering messages to being sex toys, we'll do it happily, as long as it brings you satisfaction. That is our duty... and our will."  
  
The chocolate-haired boy couldn't help but to look at them with admiration, and the next thing he knew, he had both of them in his arms, giving them a warm hug from the heart, surprising the Li Guardians. What made the couple happier, though, was the one simple word he said right after, but the word was said with such emotion, it was obvious it was a sincere heartily pronouncement, and because of that, he almost made them cry.  
  
"Arigatou na, Yami, Suuki." Syaoran said it almost like a whisper, bringing both closer to himself.  
  
Eventually, they parted... and Syaoran ran back to the room; the Li Guardians did the same when they recovered from the shocking, but pleasant, sensation of being hugged by him, also running back shortly after their "master".  
  
None ever realized something else was watching everything...

* * *

Back to their classroom, Syaoran changed the subject when asked by everyone what the "lovers" wanted. In a short period of time, the teacher came back to begin the next tests, so everyone sat back in their seats.  
  
The tests were handed out and, at precisely 10am, the teacher signaled for them to start.  
  
Tomoyo finished in the record time of thirty-five minutes, while Syaoran was only half done. Even though Japanese wasn't exactly his favorite subject, it never really took him that long to finish its test. The problem was that he was worried... worried that his two Li Guardians might die in a feeble at attempt to protect him... and he definitely didn't want that.  
  
Still focused on the matter, he never noticed a shadow coming at light speed in his direction from outside until it was practically by his side; even so, the boy was still able to dodge it, leaping out of his desk just as the black matter forcefully entered the room, breaking the window, shards of glass flying everywhere.  
  
Everyone in the classroom quickly raised themselves from their own desks, most of them and running out not a second after Syaoran got up and yelled "Nigerou (run away)!" loudly; they didn't need to be told twice. The only ones that stayed were Sakura, Suuki and Yami, who stood beside the Li heir, and Tomoyo, who stood way behind them, knowing perfectly well this wasn't the kind of battle she could help win, due its danger; the less she stayed near, the safer she and the others would be.  
  
The Li Guardians, the Li heir and the Sakura Cards wielder all were in their fighting stances; the first with his sword, the latter with her staff and cards already at hand; and only one thing in their minds:  
  
"It's the last battle... and it's Syaoran-kun's/Syaoran-sama's/my life at risk. Therefore, winning is not only an option, it's an obligation."  
  
**END of CHAPTER SEVEN – THE DANGER**  
  
A.N.: I know, I know, I'm making Sakura cry a lot, but she IS a cry-baby, damn it! She cries all the time in the TV series and in the manga... and there goes Syaoran comfort her again and again! Argh! I should kill her, yeah! That's a good idea, I'll kill Sakura instead of Syaoran! Hahahahahahahaha!  
  
And a poetic Syaoran is also a bit weird, but I thought it was irresistible, so I put it in the fic anyway!   
  
One thing I noticed I better leave clear, just in case someone hasn't understood: Suuki Moriko is the abrasive one, Yami Kage is the sweet and caring, but quiet type. None speak much unless it has something to do with their "master".  
  
Oh, yeah, we've now covered more than half of the chapters, but only approximately 2/5 of the story, so hold your horses 'cause we've still got a relatively long way to go!  
  
_"Next, on The Li Guardians: the final attack, the deaths of two important characters, Kurotsuki is coming back to this world! All this and more on Chapter 8 – The Sacrifices death warning! & another extra-large chapter warning!"_  
  
Please REVIEW and tell me what you think or inform me of any mistake I might have made (they happen whether we like it or not), whether it was ONE spelling mistake or varied incoherencies! Oh, and if you have any doubts, I'll gladly answer them, as long as it doesn't give the story away!   
  
Loki: The more reviews, the faster she updates!  
  
Syaoran: Unfortunately... ¬¬  
  
Kai: Hey, at least you're alive! I'm in the middle of a dying process in "Different Lives"!   
  
Kouichi: Thank goodness she hasn't started the Digimon Frontier fic yet...  
  
Kai: Why? --?  
  
Kouichi: Don't ask. ¬¬  
  
Loki snickers  
  
Syaoran/Kai/Kouichi: What? Oo?  
  
Loki: She doesn't have any motivation to do a fic for me, at least not yet... ==  
  
Syaoran: Lucky you. ¬¬  
  
Let's leave the bickering characters alone... oO'''''  
  
Syaoran-Lover aka KLKL (KouichiLokiKaiLi) signing out!


	9. The Sacrifices DEATH ALERT!

Hello again!  
  
_SIBLING LOVE's_ first chapter is uploaded! Go check it out and tell me what you think, please! It's an AU about Syaoran and his sisters, only 3 chapters, which will be posted by the end of February at most. I liked the way it turned out, but let me know if it was just me...   
  
OK, people, warnings: **DEATH** chapter!  
  
-Kai clears throat-  
  
OK, not A death chapter... ¬¬  
  
-Syaoran elbows KLKL-  
  
Alright! Geesh! DOUBLE DEATH CHAPTER! There! Satisfied?!  
  
Syaoran/Kai: Very!   
  
¬¬' OK, here we go with chapter 8. This is it, people. Twists and turns from here onward   
  
And I do hope you have life insurance because this might be a little too painful or heavy for your hearts...  
  
**THE LI GUARDIANS  
  
CHAPTER 8 – THE SACRIFICES**  
  
They all stood there, ready to face the black mass, but something was not right: it wasn't advancing at all, just floating uselessly. Not knowing what else to do, they just waited.  
  
And waited...  
  
Until, suddenly, it just striked... straight at Syaoran, but the boy used his sword and called the winds to keep the opponent away from him, giving time for Sakura to use the The Watery to push it farther away, as Suuki and Yami charging directly at the mass, jumping for impulse, showering it with strong combined kicks and punches in a rhythmic dance. Although it was weird to be charging with full power at something that not even had a fixed shape, they still just kept going, after all, even if it was "only" a mass with energy, it was still after their "master", and Syaoran wasn't in conditions to fight alone; and even if the latter had recovered all of his life energy, along with all of his magic force, he'd still be unable to face Kurotsuki's power by himself; protecting their creator's life was always the Li Guardians' number one priority.  
  
It had seemed like they'd been winning, since the shapeless black thing was taking all the blows and flowing backwards., but suddenly, it stopped in mid-air again, motionless, no matter how much the Guardians attacked it, and then it just sent out a bit of magic energy, sending both flying back away a good deal of meters. At that moment, Sakura called The Sword and advanced with Syaoran right up to it, but that didn't do much either, for, as they slashed with their swords, the shadow-like thing just floated where it was, then sending a little of its magic energy at the girl, making her land at the same spot the Li Guardians still laid, and another spur hit the boy's chest in a perfect bull's-eye.  
  
Syaoran fell back, a long breath escaping his lips as his back forcefully met the floor and, in the blink of an eye, he was once more surrounded by the darkness and the lightings that were somehow capable of stealing life energy... it didn't take much time for the pain to come either. The boy gave a loud scream... and fell...  
  
Differently from the last time, no one on the outside could see a thing of what was happening inside the black sphere that now trapped the Li heir. Sakura once more called The Sword, immediately slashing at it as her staff transformed... and Syaoran came to view as the sphere became two halves. The Li Guardians quickly took him out of the way, Sakura maintaining her position, ready to strike again when it recovered.  
  
Behind the Sakura cards "wielder", Suuki looked at Yami with a doubtful look. "Should I give him life energy again? He's almost out of it!" She asked him mentally. Yami, despite knowing that she probably had already recovered most of hers, shook his head in disapproval, for he also knew that, right then, their creator's body was too weak to receive any sort of energy; and if the body was too weak, it would have to recover before receiving any kind of energy of power. Suuki just nodded and looked back at the unconscious boy on hers and Yami's lap.  
  
"Syaoran-sama, shikari shite kudasai! Me o akete kudasai! (Syaoran-sama, hang in there! Open your eyes!)" She whispered pleadingly.  
  
As if he had heard her, his eyes blinked a bit, and then opened. "Suu... ki... Yami..." He tried out. When he tried to abruptly get up, though, the Li Guardians' master fell back down with a low yell of pain. Yami and Suuki immediately held him in place, afraid he'd do something like that once more, the girl on one side, the boy on the other.  
  
Worried as he was about his "master", the male Li Guardian decided to check on the other girl and their enemy. Slightly turning his head a bit, he saw the mass was still trying to pull itself back together, Sakura ready to split it again.  
  
Unexpectedly, though, the darkness decided to attack her the way it was, but she was prepared for it, readying her stance. When it was at striking range, she plunged at it... and another unexpected thing happened: instead of being sliced once more, it reopened the part of the cut it had already healed, making Sakura miss it completely. "Oh, no! Look out!" She yelled as she turned around the moment it passed by her, the first half of it by her left, the second by her right, quickly advancing towards its wide open target. "Syaoran-kun, abunai (watch out)!"  
  
Yami didn't even think; throwing Syaoran completely into Suuki's arms, surprising the both of them, he stood up facing his partner and his "master", arms spread out, smiling for the first time since he arrived at Japan... his last smile... as he whispered a goodbye at the same time that he, now in the very spot Syaoran had been three seconds earlier, was completely trapped inside the black sphere, waving a final goodbye, his first... and only... tear rolled down his right cheek.  
  
They all watched horrified as a great wave of lightening, much bigger than the previous ones had been, struck once at the Li Guardian's body... and he fell, the gentle smile still imprinted on his face while he disappeared in sparkles... sparkles that were his energy, or better, Syaoran's...  
  
"Yami/Kage-san!" The three cried out, continually yelling his name. Suddenly, Suuki, realizing how dangerously close to the enemy they were, grabbed her "master" and jumped away with him, out of the classroom, through the broken glass window and down the three floors. Sakura quickly followed, using The Jump, leaving Tomoyo, as she would be safer away from them. The black mass did not hesitate to follow.  
  
When they landed, Suuki helped Syaoran stand up.  
  
"Pathetically weak!" He whispered to himself, but the remaining Li Guardian heard him, understanding he was referring to his current state... to his lack of power... and for not being able to avoid Yami's destiny. A small, almost imperceptible, smile graced her face for a few seconds, as she realized just how much he cared.  
  
Sakura had just reached both, when a bolt of lightning hit the ground close to their spots.  
  
"That was just a warning, I won't miss the next time! Hand over the heir and I'll let anyone else go! It's only the Li family I'm after, and that does not include Li Guardians. I'll take care of the others later. Keeping my business organized has always been one of my virtues." They heard in their heads. The voice was silky, but it had the rough touch of a male's vocal chords.  
  
"Oh, no! With the energy he absorbed from Yami, he's now able to use telepathy! Keep your eyes open, who knows what else he might do!" Suuki warned.  
  
"You've got to be kidding! We've just lost a friend who sacrificed himself to save Syaoran-kun! Don't expect us to throw away his efforts! Forget it!" Sakura replied, cards in hand. "Watery, Fiery, Windy, Wood! Combine your powers and take him down!" She commanded with fierce grief, a determined look on her face.  
  
Syaoran was surprised. "Sakura! Baka na no ka (Are you stupid)?! Do you know how much energy that's going to take from you?! Using 4 cards, even if your energy has grown stronger, it's still going to use a lot of magic! Call them back before it's too late! You'll get exhausted!" He yelled to her.  
  
Sakura just gave him a smile before replying. "Hai, shiteru yo. Demo, Kage-san wa jibun no inochi o kureta, Syaoran-kun o mamoru tame ni... soreto... Kurotsuki wa motto tsuyoku ni natta, dakara... watashi-tachi wa ganbarenainara, muri da yo (Yes, I know. However, Kage-san gave up his own life in order to protect you... and... Kurotsuki became stronger, that's why... if we don't do our best, it'll be useless)!" She answered, tears flowing from her eyes as she rephrased everything.  
  
"If we don't hit him with everything we've got, Kage-san's sacrifice will have been useless!" Sakura shouted ful eyes, yet even more tears falling from her beautiful emerald ones. "One friend is enough for me..." She said between sobs. "I don't want to lose anything more!" The chestnut-haired girl shouted, turning back to face her opponent, checking how her cards were doing.  
  
"Daijoubu." Sakura whispered.  
  
The cards seemed like they were dancing instead of fatally attacking, their synchronization perfect: Windy surrounded everything in a powerful tornado- like form, The Watery and The Fiery rhythmically took turns hitting the enemy, The Wood using its vines to confuse the mass shape; all in perfect rhythm, as if already planned, none missing any of the opportunities the other(s) gave. It all seemed to be working, since the black mass was obviously having problems to deal with all four simultaneously... until they slowed down, that is.  
  
When Syaoran realized the pace of the cards was slowing, he looked at their wielder and saw her breaths were coming in quickly, exiting just as fast. The boy called his own incantations and sent both the elements of lightning and fire to cover up for the others, but that was as much as he could do, given he wasn't at his full health. His knees gave away... and he fell back on the ground, but never losing concentration on the attacks, Sakura's words ringing in his head.  
  
_"If we don't hit him with everything we've got, Kage-san's sacrifice will have been useless!"_  
  
"Hontou da... ore wa... ganbarukya (That's right... I'll do my best)!" Syaoran encouraged himself, trying with all his strength not to break the concentration on the magic incantations he was trying to keep working.  
  
Eventually, though, they couldn't keep it up any longer, so the assaults died down to a level at which the black mass was able to repel and send them back at their commanders.  
  
Even though she was exhausted, Sakura summoned The Jump and leaped out of the way, with Suuki and Syaoran holding each of her hands, landing on top of one of the school buildings, where they were able to take a quick rest, recovering their breaths, and Sakura called back her five used Cards, thanking them for a good job.  
  
Suuki dropped to her knees by Syaoran's side, grabbing his hand in her own. "Moshi wake arimasen, Syaoran-sama (I'm very sorry, Syaoran-sama). Watashi wa tasukemasen deshita (I wasn't able to aid you). My specialty is fighting, but that's no good against a black mass that you can go right through it! That'd only end up in it catching me, thus obtaining more life and magic energy! Hontou ni... moshi wake arimasen (For real... I'm so sorry)! I feel so useless!" She pleaded, tears of self-pity flowing down her cheeks.  
  
Syaoran was speechless, he just didn't know what to say. Looking at his girlfriend for help, all she did was shake her head in a negative gesture and, except for Suuki's cries, they were silent, for the sadness of losing a friend and for the agony of not knowing what to do in order to win.  
  
The Li heir was trying to control his breathing, which still was a bit ragged,, as it was becoming harder by the minute, at the same time he was keeping an eye on his girlfriend, a worried expression on his face. The reason for that was because he knew she was having trouble staying awake, for she kept involuntarily closing her eyes, only to open them abruptly seconds later. Syaoran was not surprised by that, after all, she had used four cards at once and then used another to save them; that had undoutedly taken a lot of the cards' wielder, making her tired. Suuki was, at present, the only one with modest conditions to fight.  
  
"Kurotsuki", however, wasn't going to wait forever; he wanted his body, and his life, back. No sooner had it fused back its pieces, previously messed up thanks to Sakura's and Syaoran's magic attacks, the darkness went right up to the school building top on which the three were, losing no time to run after the brown-haired boy, surprising the trio, although only a little, that it was able to recover so fast.  
  
Sakura could barely move; it took a lot of strength just to shout, "Syaoran- kun, behind you! Look out!"  
  
Syaoran was warned just in time to jump out of the way, but some of the black mass' shock wave was still able to reach him and, although it did not steal more life energy, it did some harm, violently throwing the chocolate-eyed boy a few meters away.  
  
Puffing, he tried to get up, the corner of his eyes slightly acknowledging that the enemy was coming towards him very fast, but his attempts were almost worthless, since he could hardly keep standing for long... fighting was out of question.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura shouted, hating herself for her incapability to do a thing as the dark mass came closer and closer to the one she loved most. "Dame (No)!" She yelled.  
  
Just when he thought it would finally get him, Suuki's body came to view, putting itself between hunt and hunter, arms wide open, intent on protecting her creator.  
  
"I won't let Yami's efforts go to waste! And I definitely won't let Syaoran-sama's life be taken you!" She shouted.  
  
Syaoran, although touched once more by their dedication, suddenly had a replay of Yami's sacrifice clearly displayed in his head... and satisfying it wasn't. So when the black shadow did not stop advancing towards Suuki, even though she shouted to her "master" to run away, even though he wanted to be with Sakura always, and even though he had a family to lead, the image of Yami replaying in his mind told the Li heir not to permit anyone else to ruin their lives for his sake.  
  
Syaoran, summoning the last ounce of energy he could, suddenly leaped and pushed her far from the dangerous place, where he stood, silently apologizing.  
  
"Suuki, suman na (sorry). I don't want you or anyone else sacrificing themselves for me... Yami was enough. Arigatou na (Thanks)." He said to her, in a low and sorrowful voice.  
  
Turning to Sakura, the person he cared for the most, he offered her a sad, but gentle, smile, as he whispered a few more words to her:  
  
"I'll always love you, Sakura. I promised we would always be together... and we will... I'll never leave your side... no matter what happens to me..."  
  
She cried in despair, watching helplessly as he was caught, once more, by the well-known black sphere, his final words escaping his lips soundlessly, but she understood, and reflexively replied, "I love you too, Syaoran," as the boy disappeared inside it.  
  
The Li heir smiled... and soon it was only pain he felt... and then... nothing more.  
  
Sakura and Suuki both screamed as his body came out, as if in slow motion, of the black darkness that had only seconds earlier caught him, a peaceful smile imprinted on his face, his sword turning back to its bell-like shape as it landed beside him.  
  
The black sphere floated away from the body to a corner and remained there, quiet and still, as the girls crawled towards the fallen boy.  
  
Sakura laid her ear on his chest... and paled. Taking his shoulders in her hands, she gently shook him, tears running even more from the green orbs, as the amber-haired girl began to shake him more and more violently, desperately screaming.  
  
"Me o akete! Syaoran-kun, onegai, watashi hitori ni shinaide! Ikanaide yo! Syaoran-kun! (Open your eyes! Syaoran-kun, please, don't leave me alone! Don't go! Syaoran-kun!)"  
  
Around then, Suuki finally came closer to them, given she was thrown to a spot farther from him then the one Sakura had been on, and, kneeling besides the body just like Sakura, on the opposite side, the Li Guardian reached out her hand and let it hang above her "master's" heart, closing her eyes... opening them brief seconds later, a pained and shocked expression resting on her features.  
  
"He's... he's... his life energy was completely taken! There's no way I can restore it now! He's...he's... dead!" She cried out, the last word spoken in an almost mute voice.  
  
Sakura looked at the other girl, as Suuki also looked at the one oppposite her, and each realized their looks matched: looks of despair, sadness and mostly... a look of loss.  
  
At a silent corner, a slight glow came from the black mass and slowly... a human shape began to appear.  
  
**END of CHAPTER EIGHT – THE SACRIFICES**  
  
-Author ducks from Unidentifed Virtual Flying Objects Sent From Readers aka UVFOSFR-  
  
A.N.: _OH, NO! I KILLED MY SYAORAN! NOOOOOOOO!_ Please don't be too mad at me, I'm mad enough at myself! You have NO idea how much time I spent sulking when this was written around July 2003!  
  
Syaoran: 3 weeks, no kidding; it WAS vacation, after all... ¬¬  
  
Kai: You readers haven't heard her excuse for it yet... ¬¬  
  
Loki: What was it? I wasn't here at that time, so I don't know!  
  
Kouichi: Same here.  
  
--' Please, don't tell them!  
  
Kai smirks a sly grin  
  
Syaoran pokes a terrified KLKL aka me  
  
No, please...  
  
Kai: She said, and I quote, "I did it because I LOVE him too much!" -snickers-  
  
Loki/Kouichi OO  
  
Syaoran ¬¬'  
  
KLKL cries non-stop  
  
I'm sorry! I really am! But the story asked for it!  
  
Loki ¬¬ Oh, I'm a God! Please let me have mercy on myself! Don't let her love me even more!  
  
Kouichi: That's it! I'm leaving! Bye-bye!  
  
-KLKL cries harder-  
  
-Syaoran pats her back-  
  
Koucihi -hands raised-: Alright, alright! I'll stay! Stop that racket!  
  
KLKL stops a bit I'm SOOOOO sorry! cries again  
  
Kai: Well, she WAS going to wish you all a happy xmas, but since readers'll definitely not be very ... ehr... joyful... we'll do it. ¬¬  
  
Syaoran/Kai/Loki/Kouichi: "Merry Christmas to you all!"  
  
-KLKL faints-  
  
Syaoran/Kai/Loki/Kouichi: KLKL!  
  
Loki: Uh, sorry, we're experiencing technical problems... ¬¬  
  
Kouichi:... so we're signing out!  
  
Loki: Wait! She didn't do the preview! We'll have to do it! -gets script-  
  
Kai ¬¬ -looking at script too-  
  
Kouichi: Uh-oh... oO  
  
Syaoran OO  
  
-tragic piano and strings music pops out of nowhere-  
  
Kouichi: Hey!  
  
-OK, _KOUICHI_ puts the tragic music- ¬¬  
  
_Kai clears throat: "Next, on The Li Guardians, chapter 9 - The Truth: Kurotsuki's finally come back to life, and with him, the truth behind the Li family and their Li Guardians. The true story behind the dark secret thought to be revealed when Suuki and Yami released 'Kurotsuki' from his prison..."  
_  
-KOUICHI ends tragic song-  
  
Syaoran oO: That was good, how'd you do it?  
  
Kai: Heard her practicing to do it yesterday... ¬¬  
  
Syaoran ¬¬  
  
Loki -still looking at script-: You know, this next chapter is preeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeety big! She'll take forever!  
  
Syaoran: Not really... most probable KLKL will divide the chapter in two and upload them separately... ¬¬  
  
Loki: Oh.  
  
Kouichi: Still'll take [A.N.: Like the sound that makes and the way it twists your tongue ] forever, though...  
  
Kai ¬¬'  
  
Syaoran --'''': Uh... ja, mata ato na (so, 'till next time).  
  
Kai -smirks-: IF she ever wakes up! She could have died here, for all we know!  
  
Syaoran: Hey, say that some other day! Right now, I want to LIVE!  
  
Loki: Uh, Syaoran-kun, who gave you the idea you're gonna live?  
  
Kouichi: If she actually killed YOU, something we'd never thought she could...  
  
Kai:... and neither did SHE think she could either... ¬¬  
  
Kouichi: ... then she might as well keep you dead...  
  
Syaoran -pale- OO  
  
Kai: Syaoran? -pokes said character-  
  
Syaoran -shocked-  
  
Loki: Great. ¬¬  
  
Kouichi: Uh, review o shite kudasai (leave a review please)... please?


	10. The Truth part 01: Return and revenge of...

**THE LI GUARDIANS**  
  
**PART 01 of Chapter 9 – THE TRUTH**  
  
The girls, still sobbing, looked in the direction which the glimmering light was coming from and suddenly, just as quick as it started, it ceased to glow... and where the light was, only a human shape the stood, eyes closed.  
  
He had long lavender hair which was tied in a loose ponytail that almost reached his feet, framing an innocent face that held air of indifference. As tall as Touya, he wore brown pants, a long-sleeved light gray shirt and an onyx pendant with the kanjis for his name engraved in silver on it.  
  
"Absorbing Syaoran-sama's life energy, he not only gained a body, but his face is also similar to Syaoran-sama's!!!" Suuki observed, anger filling her up... that was too much for her. "Iie (No)..." She cried silently, more tears escaping down her cheeks as her creator's hug replayed in her mind. [A.N.: Near the end of Chapter 7 – The Danger.]  
  
The "reborn" magician, oblivious to everything around him, began examining his new body, touching his face and, after slowly opening his eyes; which turned out to be and deep amber eyes that were surely Syaoran's, no doubt product of the energy stolen from the Li heir; he remained some moments observing his hands... as if mesmerized by them... and then at himself. A quick smile appeared on his face, but it was too fast to be seen.  
  
Looking up, only then did he realize he was not alone; remembering what had happened the last weeks, a mocking smile displayed itself on his lips.  
  
As he walked up to the girls, he noticed their scared faces, but also noticed that they weren't running... in fact, although both were shaking, they were covering something with their own bodies, as if to hide it from him, but the magician already knew what it was.  
  
"Ladies, please step aside from there and I won't harm you." He said gallantly.  
  
"And then... what would you do to him if we do that?" Sakura asked, barely able to contain her anger; she suspected the answer... and she was right.  
  
"I will give an end to the Li clan as my revenge... and I will start with the heir." He answered emotionlessly.  
  
The girls only came closer to the unmoving body, Sakura hugging his head closer to her chest, never taking their eyes off the nearing magician.  
  
Kurotsuki came to a stop two feet away from them, remaining mute... all he did was stretch his hand over them. "I did ask you politely, but you had to make things this way." He said sarcastically before his hands started glowing a bright neon green...  
  
In a flash, Sakura and Suuki were thrown separate ways. The impact was so quick and big, the auburn-haired girl dropped the precious cargo she had been protecting with all her strength. Kurotsuki just laughed cynically. "You are no match for me, girl! And you never will be!"  
  
The girls, trying to get up, felt despair close in on their hearts as Kurotsuki kneeled besides Syaoran's body, feeling theirs were no longer capable of doing anything much. They watched fearfully as the magician reached out his hand... and gently began caressing the sides of the boy's face.  
  
Sakura and Suuki were utterly surprised at that, and it was clearly stamped on their faces... they never expected he'd make a caring gesture towards the one he had just announced he'd kill. The magician, however, took no notice of their reaction.  
  
"Syaoran ka? Chiisana ookami, ne. Kawaii namae desu (Syaoran, huh? Little Wolf, right? It's a cute name)." Kurotsuki commented, mostly to himself, but the two girls heard him anyway. A few seconds after he pronounced those words, a scornful expression appeared out of nowhere on his face. "You do kind of resemble HIM, Syaoran-kun... even though you're generations away, you look - not identical, true – but you look a bit like HIM. The creamy clear skin, soft chocolate-colored hair... the amber eyes I know you have and that will never again be admired by anyone else... the kind and cold expressions only HE could make so easily, shifting from sweet to uncaring in less than a second's time. Yes... you are alike." The longhaired man said, his voice full of sorrow, his eyes even worse as he looked at Sakura. "Too much alike."  
  
At this point, the chestnut-haired girl had gotten a little curious: she had been thinking of the ancient magician as someone cruel, cold and vengeful; but to her, at that moment of his rebirth, the only thing she sensed was sadness - a lot of it - and maybe... hurt? Could it be? Someone as strong and powerful as him... hurt? What really happened 234 years ago? And why was everything so strange? Why was he so different than what people thought him to be?  
  
And... who was HE?  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted when she was suddenly startled by Suuki, who, even though meters apart, slammed her fist on the concrete floor loud enough to be heard by the other girl, small amounts of blood dripping from her knuckles as she raised it again, tears flowing from her tightly shut eyes like the red drops were from her hand. "No..." She cried. "This can't be happening! DOUSHITE (WHY)?! Why did Syaoran-sama have to pay for our mistake with his life?! DOUSHITE?!" She screamed between sobs. "Syaoran-sama..." The Li Guardian whispered, lowering her head just enough for her bangs to cover her eyes, but not the translucent liquid that refused to stop falling.  
  
Sakura didn't know what to do: run to Suuki's side, stay where she already was, return to her beloved's body's side... but, to her surprise, Kurotsuki, picking up Syaoran's body and draping it over his left shoulder, was the one who headed to the other girl's direction.  
  
He knelt over one knee, the other in front of him, before her, a hand on her hair as he gently caressed it. "Don't worry, I would never do anything to his boy." He said softly.  
  
It was confusing, to say the least. Why would he say that to them if they had just witnessed how he managed to kill Syaoran? Looking up to him, her feelings of hatred and sorrow clearly showing, she voiced in one word the only explanation she came up with, "Liar."  
  
Kurotsuki, a bit taken back, stood up and headed to Sakura, but he stopped midway voices were heard and footsteps indicated people coming up. [A.N.: Remember they're at the top of one of the school's buildings.]  
  
"But sensei (teacher), why do you think they are up here?" Tomoyo's voice echoed.  
  
"I don't know, but we've searched everywhere, and some students reported they saw a strong green light from here a few minutes ago, so we have to check." Came a teacher's voice, which Sakura recognized as her homeroom teacher's.  
  
Sighing, Kurotsuki closed his eyes and as he whispered the incantation "Oh Gods of Winds, hear my prayer and take us to a safer somewhere!" All 'four' were taken in a flash to another rooftop, close to the previous one none- the-less, and Sakura, still surprised at the teleportation ability the magician had, saw Tomoyo coming out of the door to the other, followed by some teachers, a relieved look on the long-haired girl's face. Apparently the teachers were searching for Sakura, Syaoran, Yami and Suuki, dragging the dark-haired girl with them. Knowing her best girl friend, Sakura deduced the voices from the stairs were the teachers replying to something the girl had said... her way of warning them to clear off.  
  
Sakura made a mental note to thank her friend.  
  
As she turned back to look at Kurotsuki, the girl was really surprised to discover that his face was only inches from hers, making her totally freeze. He gave a small smile and backed away, watching as Sakura released the air she hadn't even known she was holding.  
  
"Kawai sou desu. Anata to Syaoran-kun wa kawai sou desu (Pitiful. You and Syaoran-kun are pitiful)." He said with an air of sadness.  
  
Putting more distance between them, he violently dropped the boy's body on the floor, an action that much contrasted with his previous ones and that lit up once more the fighting spirit within both girls, who stood up and got ready to face him again, anger clear in their faces.  
  
"Syaoran-kun o kaeshite (Give us back Syaoran-kun)!" Sakura shouted, getting ready to use her cards.  
  
However, before she even had a chance to name the one she wanted, Kurotsuki chanted once more, his fingers coming together in different positions every three or four words.  
  
"Gods of Protection, hear my call and magically imprison them all!"  
  
His eyes, closed during the incantation, opened brusquely and his hands formed a triangle in the girls' direction. They screamed in surprise as suddenly a transparent dome appeared over their heads, looking a little like her Shield card.  
  
"The Shield!" She thought, but as she tried calling the card, the emerald- eyed girl noticed her staff had turned back to its pendant form... and no matter how much she concentrated or chanted, it stayed that way.  
  
"Oh, no! I can't use my magic! How come?!" She asked no one in particular, looking at her hands and at the pendant.  
  
Hearing a loud laughter, Sakura looked up to Kurotsuki's direction, a confused look stamped on her features. When he managed to stop laughing, the magician looked at her in a cynical way and replied.  
  
"Besides the fact that you are already warn out, and that WOULD happen eventually once your magic energy died down, I have just put you in a 'cage', so to speak, in which your magic will not work unless I remove the boundaries... and that's not going to happen." He said matter-of-factly, turning back to the body at his feet, kneeling closer and closer to it.  
  
"Stay away form him!" The two girls shouted simultaneously, banging violently on the 'walls' that held them prisoners, despair and anguish planting themselves in their hearts.  
  
Kurotsuki looked back at them, a cold and hateful look stamped on his face. "Stay away from him?! STAY AWAY from him?! Did HE stay away from me?! Did HE think about my feelings?! No HE did NOT! I'm not going to do any different either!" The magician screamed, suddenly raising Syaoran's face and captured the boy's still warm lips with his, giving them a long and 'tasteful' [A.N.: Hey, it's Syaoran-sama! So even if he is dead already, it'll still be tasteful!!! GOD, I LOVE THE KID!], yet rough kiss, shocking both girls.  
  
"Stay away form him!" Sakura screamed again, vainly trying to break the dome or use magic... it was useless. And all she received back was an empty stare from Kurotsuki, who still hadn't pulled away from the unresponsive body.  
  
When he DID, although still keeping his back to them, he finally replied. "Out of the respect I have for you, who fought me even though you knew you couldn't win, and because I practically have what I wanted; which would be my life back and the kawaii (cute) Li heir, both in body and soul; I will let you live a little longer while I tell you what really happened 234 years ago, since none of you seem to know."  
  
At that, the surprised Sakura and Suuki looked at one another, their eyes exchanging the same message: could there possibly be another version of History? Was it possible that all they knew were lies, or was Kurotsuki the liar?  
  
No. Somehow, even though he had killed Syaoran, the pain and hatred in his eyes were for real, Sakura knew it... no, she felt it. She felt that whatever their opponent was going to tell them next was true. She waited quietly for him to continue, trying to hold back her anger as the magician proceeded caressing the one she loved most in a mysterious and... sensual way.  
  
Kurotsuki seemed to enjoy himself just by touching the boy, let alone kissing him. When he felt a bit more satisfied, he turned to face them... a sardonic smile was his expression, but he still held Syaoran's peaceful face close to his as he nuzzled it to his chest.  
  
Sighing, he continued. "I'm going to do better than TELL you what happened, I'm going to SHOW you one of the many truths behind the Li family. In a way, I pity him for having been the heir to such people; the responsibilities are great... and therefore... so is the training to become one, not to mention all the information he'd have to keep in mind 24 hours a day; all the truths behind the family that can easily shatter such an innocent soul."  
  
That said, Kurotsuki raised his free hand and, with an open palm, drew in the air a circle and then a straight line right through it. With the symbol 'drawn', he closed his eyes and concentrated...  
  
Suuki and Sakura watched as the symbol slowly began to shine and then a flash of light blinded them for a moment, but it disappeared as quickly as it had begun.  
  
**END of PART 01 of CHAPTER NINE – THE TRUTH**  
  
_Tsuzuku iteiru (will continue)   
_  
A.N.: I know Kurotsuki is Chinese and he is speaking Japanese, but since I don't know the first, I made him use the latter. Let's just say he 'caught' it from Syaoran...   
  
And I just noticed Syaoran's being kissed by everyone! Oops! Remind me not to do that on my next fic... ¬¬ His lips and Syaoran HIMSELF is _MINE_ ONLY!!! Hahahahaha!  
  
Syaoran --': Thank goodness that's not true!  
  
Kai: Isn't she doing something similar to me in 'Different Lives'?  
  
Loki: Yeah, now that you mention, which is actually a coincidence that these chapters were posted in close days when they were written with at least 3 months of a difference!  
  
Kouichi: How would you know? You weren't part of her anime knowledge yet!  
  
He looked up my fanfictions information file... ¬¬'  
  
And I kind of like to do that... '  
  
Well, that was about 2/5 of the chapter, so I'll either divide into part 2 and part 3 (which can be done faster) or I'll have to wait for the courage (and opportunity) to type all of the rest if chapter 9... ¬¬  
  
You can tell me which is better on a review!   
  
Syaoran: Check out the lame hint... ¬¬'  
  
Kouichi: Wouldn't it have been better if she just asked to review?  
  
Loki: Yes, it would...  
  
Kai: Review. Period.  
  
Ugh! Stabbed right through the heart by my favorite characters! That's it, I'm signing out!  
  
KLKL aka Syaoran-Lover 


	11. The Truth part 02: How it really happene...

A.N.: Get comfortable, people, this is going to take long... ¬¬  
  
But at least now, the truth is up!   
  
Oh, and a little bit of YAOI warning here, but it's not heavy or anything... it's just... there... ¬¬'  
  
Kai/Loki/Kouichi --'''''  
  
Syaoran: Get going already! The sooner, the better!  
  
Eep! Hai!  
  
**THE LI GUARDIANS  
  
PART 02 of Chapter 9 – THE TRUTH**  
  
When they were finally able to see again, both girls gasped... and for two good reasons: one, they were right before a magnificent view of a very colorful and heavily blooming Chinese garden, with a few typical stones and a small river that flowed through it; cutting it in two unequal parts; in the middle of which there was also a typical bridge of wood and big stones.  
  
The second reason for their amazement was on the wooden bridge: a tall, yet well-defined figure, apparently male, stood there watching the view, as if waiting, seemingly lost in thoughts. His long lavender Chinese robes matched the color of his long hair, emphasizing his beautiful green eyes, the only ting that prevented the word "monochrome" of total application to him, if excluded his pale skin and gold pendant hanging from his neck. Surely he'd been taught martial arts, and apparently his magic was also strong. He seemed perfect; he seemed like a God; he looked, although not identical... like Syaoran.  
  
The girls could only gape at such a breath-taking sight.  
  
After a few moments, a voice was heard and another young man, with short straight chocolate hair contrasting with his dark amber eyes and green robes flowing behind him, was seen running in the direction of the God-like creature, who seemed to come back to reality as he heard his name being called by the one approaching him.  
  
"Kurotsuki!" The green-robed guy came closer, as the lavender-robed one turned to face him, a greeting smile displayed on his features. [1]  
  
"What is it, Shin'Ya?" Kurotsuki asked. [2]  
  
"Kurotsuki, why did you injure more Li family members? Weren't yesterday's enough? You harmed eleven... five more today!" The chocolate-haired one asked as he came to a stop right beside the awaiting magician.  
  
Kurotsuki couldn't help but smile at the young man now in front of him. "I'm sorry, Shin'Ya, I really am. I know it only puts more burden on your shoulders as the future heir f the family... of the Li family."  
  
At that point, the image seemed to stop, giving time for Suuki to think. Then it hit her, and she snapped her head to Sakura's direction. "I knew I'd heard that name somewhere! Li Shin'Ya was the name of the leader of the Li family who imprisoned Kurotsuki! He died mysteriously right after that, no one knows why! But... why is he being so friendly to Kurotsuki? They were said to have been mortal enemies all their lives!" She commented, trying to figure it out.  
  
Kurotsuki's voice was heard then, although the illusion before them was still motionless: it was the "new" kurotsuki who was speaking. "That's not correct. Like I thought," he smiled as the two girls turned to look at him and continued, "they really did twist the story of what happened then. I don't know how they passed it on to you, but I can assure you it's mostly lies. For starters, Shin'Ya and I knew each other since the farthest day I can remember; we grew up together. He was the heir to the Li family... and I... was the one who would be advising him, since I was considered the strongest and the wisest, but he wasn't too far behind me. Yes, Li Shin'Ya and Li Kurotsuki would surely make a great partnership in the story of the Li family."  
  
"WHAT?! You were a member of the Li family?! It's impossible!!" Suuki shouted. Sakura remained quiet as the information sank in.  
  
Frowning, Kurotsuki answered. "Guess you're right when you say 'were'. I was expelled of my own family, I see. Typical." He sighed. "Well, I suspected they'd do something like that. I always knew the Li family was manipulative, and I mean that; Shin'Ya fell in their trap like a rabbit would for carrot! He believed every word the elders said! But I'll get to that part later... for now, let's continue watching this, shall we?"  
  
As soon as he said that, the illusion began to move again. Turning back to it, the girls watched as young Shin'Ya replied to his companion.  
  
"I guess you just can't help it that the others won't stop picking on you for some reason, huh? At times like these, I wish I could ask my dead father, the former leader, what he would do. Right now, there's no leader as head of the family, so all responsibilities befall the heir, in other words, me. However, there are still 3 more years to go before I'm 19 and able to take my post. Worse than that, people keep picking on my best friend and he can't help but to defend himself, thus creating more problems for me! How am I ever going to get this family to behave?! It's impossible!" The young heir complained, leaning his head on Kurotsuki's left shoulder, who used his right hand to cup Shin'Ya's face, making them face each other. The two friends remained like that for indefinite time, one losing himself in the other.  
  
Shin'Ya was the first to speak again. "You know, I love those deep green pools of yours. I get lost everytime I look at them and, somehow, they always seem to relax me."  
  
They kept looking at each other, but the gaze traveled from the eyes to a spot a bit below. In a few seconds, Shin'Ya was muttering the words that would mean the world to many people.  
  
"I'm really glad that you are the one who will always be by my side, Kurotsuki. From the bottom of my heart... thank you."  
  
No sooner did those words escape his lips, and these pursued the ones that belonged to the ones the lavender-haired man. The pressure of each other's lips on their own was such a wonderful touch, that neither wanted the moment to break; but, unfortunately, they had to eventually, and as they did, both were left panting. Regaining air, their eyes met once more, dark amber and moss green, and they smiled to each other.  
  
The image stopped once again at that instant. Sakura and Suuki found that both of themselves had their mouths dropped open, speechless.  
  
"I take it you are surprised with this turn of events too. Shin'Ya and I spent so much time together, we fell in love... and, according to others, that was wrong for various reasons: 01) we were both men; 02) Shin'Ya was the irreplaceable heir, therefore he had to wed a woman so as to make a successor, as was tradition; and 03) they said we didn't match anyway. Personally, I think they were only trying to find more excuses to backup the first one. Anyhow, we became lovers, eventually, and only later did the elders find out; by then, Shin'Ya was already the leader, so they couldn't just oppose to it directly. They had other plans." Kurotsuki sighed, trying to gather courage to watch the next part.  
  
The scenery changed and what came to view was a large corridor, with only a peacock blue carpet, that ended at the base of two wooden steps leading to a small platform, on which there was a very well decorated chair also made of wood. The chair had sophisticated carved designs and expensive cushions... and on it... was Shin'Ya.  
  
He sat there, proud and tall, with a smiling face, looking at the young lavender-haired man standing beside him, equally proud.  
  
A few minutes passed before the great wooden outlined doors, with interlaced straw at its center, were abruptly opened with haste and in walked a young boy; with jet black hair and light brown eyes, dressed as a messenger; who shouted respectfully at them. "Advisor! There is a terrible disagreement between the elders and your noble is requested with urgency at the west wing!" [3]  
  
Shin'Ya looked at the now kneeling raven-haired before them, whose head was down in respect, at Kurotsuki and back to the top of the boy's head. "What is this disagreement about? Why wasn't I warned of it?" He asked, hisvoice soaring through the room.  
  
The brown-eyed boy, still with his head low, answered with an even lower voice. "I do not know, sir. I am just a house messenger. All I do is carry the messages; it is not within my position to question the superiors." Li Rin, the black-haired boy, answered.  
  
The Li family leader sighed... and then saw Kurotsuki descend the two steps. Passing the kneeling messenger, he turned back to the sittting leader and offered a smile. "Do not worry, I will be back soon and then you will know what is going on." The advisor said.  
  
And as he walked out of the room, the image before them froze once more, and the girls knew that the Kurotsuki they had met would soon start explaining again, so, without asking any more questions, they turned back to face him and sure enough, he was already beginning to speak again.  
  
"Well, that was the last time I ever saw Shin'Ya on good terms. Turns out that Li Rin, that messenger which you just saw, was delivering more than one message. I found out later, much too late, I might add, that he told Shin'Ya I had been doing things I shouldn't, like killing people who said anything against him or me. Of course, I hadn't done anything of the sort, and my dear lover didn't believe a word Rin said; but that was all part of the plan."  
  
At this point, the magician had his eyes closed in distress, probably trying to tell them his story without having to face the horrible mental images they were surely bringing back to his memory. "When I went to help sort out the 'disagreement', I got trapped inside the council room, but no one was there. It was then that I noticed something was drawn on the floor right beneath where I was standing, but, again, it was too late. The drawing lit up and I realized it wasn't any drawing, it was a magical crest the elders drew... and the spell it conducted was our downfall."  
  
Opening his eyes again, the girls noticed the chocolate irises were moisted, but no tears came out. It was obvious to the both of them that Kurotsuki wasn't showing them an image because that scene surely hurt him a lot, to know that he was tricked by his own family... and even worse to witness it once more.  
  
"I heard whispers and quickly knew that it was the elders' chanting. Unfortunately, my body was paralyzed and my mind was then taken from my control."  
  
"What do you mean, your mind was 'taken from your control'?" Suuki asked, astonished as everything sank in.  
  
"It's like being possessed, except a bit stronger; because of that I had no more control over my actions and half of my thoughts, but I was perfectly able to feel if I had, meaning when my body touched or was touched, I felt it. That was when I, or better, my body, started doing things shouldn't have: mainly killing innocents and destroying everything. When Shin'Ya saw all the chaos it was causing, he never realized it wasn't me."  
  
Turning back to the frozen image, the reincarnated magician waved a hand and as the picture began to change, the girls heard his whispered words of anguish.  
  
"Here, see the last of my days come by the hands of the one I loved most."  
  
As they looked, new images appeared: first, a village; then destruction brought by fire, floods and thunderstorms; at the middle of everything, was a lavender-haired body they already knew.  
  
The reincarnated Kurotsuki's whispers were barely audible through all the noise. "I know it's me causing all that chaos, but I didn't want to. I was really screaming and crying inside, but the elders' combined powers surpassed my own, even if I was the strongest."  
  
Soon enough, Shin'Ya appeared before them, the elders and some unknown younger magicians behind him. The family leader had a clearly shocked expression, but he soon recovered and tried talking to 'his lover'.  
  
"Kurotsuki! What are you doing?! Have you gone mad?!" He screamed.  
  
The noise died down considerably as the young Kurotsuki stopped everything to look at the other man, a look of utter happiness on his handsome face. "Of course not. I've merely found a hobby that I really, really enjoy, my dear Shin'Ya." The voice of the young advisor echoed.  
  
"Stop this at once, Kurotsuki! Let's talk this out! I know you'd never do this, something must've happened, so tell me! Stop now, or I'll have to take action!"  
  
"Then do! I have no intention on giving up something that pleasures me so much!" Was "Kurotsuki's" answer, as he turned back to continue his destruction.  
  
The next scene passed by as if in slow motion: Shin'Ya closed his eyes and called upon an incantation, the only one he knew would be able to stop the powerful Kurotsuki; the others behing him immediately closed their eyes and started whispering too... whispering the same words in unison with the family leader.  
  
Seconds later, a magic symbol; simple, but powerful none the less; appeared before them, its cubical shape increasing its size as the words were spoken and the crescent moons on its sides glowing with might.  
  
"Kurotsuki" turned to face them again and, realizing their intentions, raised a magical shield around himself, but in the end, it was useless: after much struggle, the magical cube eventually broke his barrier and had him surrounded and trapped. The moons on all six sides started to rotate, and they saw the "box" decrease its size along with the man inside.  
  
When the "magic box" had the size of a dice, the chanting stopped, the "box" stoppped shrinking and most of the elders fainted right after, for they had recently cast two very powerful magic spells, although the family leader only knew about the casting of the second one.  
  
Shin'Ya collapsed on his knees, tears freely falling from his eyes.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Kurotsuki... I'm so sorry, my beloved lover, my guardian..."  
  
As these words were whispered by the young chocolate-haired leader, Kurotsuki waved a hand and the images disappeared. He stood there calmly, now standing before the two speechless girls, waiting.  
  
"G-Guardian? You mean you are..."  
  
"Yes, I am, or better, I was, like you, a Li Guardian; except somehow, I grew much more powerful than my master. However, as I powerful as I became, I couldn't hold against all the elders, much less when they had helpers... and one of these helpers was Shin'Ya, the person I wouldn't go against for various reasons [4]. Besides, even if I could, my body wouldn't obey my mind anyway..."  
  
Remaining quiet for a few seconds, as if thinking how to say the next words, Kurotsuki sighed and proceeded. "I don't really blame Shin'Ya, he did what was right for someone with his responsibilities: protect the people, because, at that time, the 'people' consisited of the whole village you saw burn. I'm sure it hurt him too, after all, he did kill himself half a year later with a dagger at his heart. The Li family must have changed the story, but that's how it went. I know he killed himself like that because, when he did it, he was inside the room the cube in which I was sealed in remained... and that's where his body was found. I don't know if he discovered the truth, but he killed himself right before me, and I'm sure that happened because Shin'Ya wanted me to see him go too. He was fooled, as was I, but his spell ended up trapping my soul in this world and I became filled by hate because of it. When my life energy withered away, my body disappeared, but my magic energy still remained trapped and as did my conscience, for some reason which I don't understand. The Li family must have realized that and thus locked away that room in which I was trapped."  
  
At that point, the reincarnated Li Guardian looked at the other one, a kind smile on his face. "I guess I should be thankful that you and your partner released me. Thanks, but..." He stopped in mid-sentence, looking up at the dark sky, a sorrowful expression in his new amber eyes quickly mutating to a longing one on his features.  
  
"All I want... is to be reunited with him."  
  
**END of CHAPTER NINE – THE TRUTH**  
  
[1] In case someone noticed and is confused, Kurotsuki's eyes were originally green, but some of his physical characteristics changed when his energy merged with Syaoran's to create a new body, his eye color included. In this case, it changed from moss green to chocolate amber.  
  
[2] Shin'Ya is supposed to mean "death night" or "night of death" (shin, or shi, is death; ya is night).  
  
[3] Oh yeah, just so you can picture it better: North wing is where the Li family leader and the advisor stay, the elders are at the west wing, the south wing is the residential area and the east wing is where the gardens and a few other special rooms are located. It was divided like this to give more trouble to invaders or assassins, separating the important roots of the family so that one or more could escape and continue with the family's traditions and stuff.  
  
[4] If you want to remember: 01) Kurotsuki loved Shin'Ya a LOT; 02) Shin'Ya was his master, Kurotsuki was his Li Guardian; 03) Shin'Ya was the Li family leader and Kurotsuki was to respect him as such, even if they were lovers (that would happen even if Kurotsuki was a woman not related to him and became Shin'Ya's wife); 04) even if he was stronger than Shin'Ya, the latter was not TOO far behind, so it would be very difficult to beat him, even less with others backing up the family leader and to top it all, the mental barriers I have already stated.  
  
A.N.: Wow, that took a lot of effort to type, so I would appreciate some feedback.   
  
Kai: Meaning... review. ¬¬  
  
Kouichi: Please? '  
  
Loki: Ne, Kai, why are you so grumpy?  
  
Kai: She started another Beyblade fic, and guess who is the main character?  
  
Syaoran -sly grin-: Meaning, guess who's the tortured one?   
  
Kouichi: Let me guess...  
  
Loki: You?  
  
Kai -sighs-: And Tala...  
  
Kouichi: It's about time too, she's had that on her list since October or something... ¬¬  
  
Syaoran -smirks-: Ne, Kouichi, she also started that promised Digimon Frontier fic...  
  
Kouichi OO  
  
Loki -reading Syaoran-Lover's fanficiton plans list-: 2 Digimon Frontier fics; 3 Beyblade fics to go, 2 finished; 3 Card Captor fics to go, 3 finished; Gundam Wing; Prince of Tennis; anime crossover and the list goes on... OO  
  
Uh, Loki, sweetie, please give that back or at least stop reading it aloud?  
  
Loki -quiet-  
  
--' OK, well, anyway, one more big chapter, a medium one, the (lemon- included --') epilogue and we're done with this fic.   
  
_Next chapter: The Redemption or The Salvation (can you believe it's been 4 months and a bit more since I finished this fic and I STILL haven't decided the title of this chapter yet?! --'''''); the title must give something away..._   
  
Doubts, mistakes, comments, compliments or flames? I'd appreciate a review!   
  
And please avoid flames if possible, this place is burning by itself already! --''  
  
Syaoran-Lover signing out. 


	12. The Redemption DEATH and YAOI ALERT!

A.N.: Yeah, I'm finally back, I'M **ALIVE**!  
  
Syaoran/Kai --''''  
  
Loki: Do we really have to be here?  
  
Kouichi: Actually no, but we've got nothing better to do...  
  
Syaoran/Kai: _ANYTHING_ is better than this!  
  
You can't mean that! Well, anyway, as you can see, this is a very loooooong chapter! So I hope you guys and/or gals appreciate my efforts!   
  
Oh, and I _SHOULD_ -keyword- be putting up a new Digimon Frontier fic and a Gundam Wing one along with this update, besides the "happy" ending of Beyblade fic Different Lives (only missing the sad/bittersweet one now) and probably another oneshot (of what, I'm yet to find out ¬¬'). Just in case anyone's interested.  
  
Oh yeah, there's still the promised crossover... --'''  
  
Loki ¬¬: On with the story!  
  
Kouichi: **DEATH** ALERT!  
  
**THE LI GUARDIANS  
  
Chapter 10 – THE REDEMPTION**  
  
The girls remained motionless, still prisoners of Kurotsuki's spell, a look of denial on their faces.  
  
Suuki, regaining her senses, was the first to speak. "How do we know you're not lying? It doesn't make sense! You said you loved Shin'ya and that you would not harm Syaoran-sama, his descendant; but not only did you kill my master, you also mistreated him! And if Shin'Ya really died little after you, how can Syaoran-sama be his descendant?!" She asked desperately.  
  
Kurotsuki, sitting himself on the cold cement floor, Syaoran's head on his lap, smiled at this and, while caressing the dead boy's hair, answered calmly.  
  
"When we say Syaoran-kun is Shin'Ya's descendant, it's not supposed to mean a direct heritage. As far as I know, Shin'Ya never had any children, so Syaoran-kun would be related to his sister, Aoya. Mind you, I'm not using this kawaii kid or pretending he's Shin'Ya; I just needed his power, his soul, his energy and, most of all, the opportunity to end this misery I've been merged in for the last 234 years."  
  
"Sumimasen, Kurotsuki-san, demo (Excuse me, Kurotsuki-san, but)... why did the elders go through all that trouble to separate you two?" Sakura questioned, shyness plainly detectable in her voice.  
  
At this Kurotsuki shrugged before replying. "Not sure, probably because both of us were males, and the elders tend to have these prejudices, but it wasn't really acceptable for a heir to the Li family to fall in love with his or her Li Guardian, if there was one. The elders may sound like bad people, but they really only have the family's interests at heart... although I have always openly disagreed with some of their thoughts and methods, which did, by the way, make things worse for me. The fact that I somehow became more powerful than my master did not help much either... they thought I was a monster or some kind of demon to be able to do that."  
  
"As far as I know, it's practically natural for the Li Guardians to fall in love with their masters; what usually isn't accepted is for the master to fall in love with the Li Guardian. Although we, Li Guardians, have our own independent thoughts and feelings, we tend to live for our masters... for their sake." Suuki tried to reason.  
  
"Yes, that's true. I really don't know why there is that stupid law. I suppose it might be because we have the same essence, so it would turn out to be some kind of incest. The elders have always been the kind of people to prejudge others."  
  
Sakura couldn't help but to feel pity for him. She really couldn't understand why things like age difference, family ties or sexual preferences should interfere in the love between two people. To her, what had been done to Kurotsuki and Shin'Ya was unforgivable. Shivering, she looked shyly at him and whispered without thinking, "I wish there was something I could do to help..."  
  
Surprised, the older Li Guardian looked more intently at her and was almost startled to see a few tears escaping her jungle-colored orbs. He smirked as he replied, "I'm starting to see why this cute Li heir loves you so much, Card Mistress."  
  
With those words, Sakura suddenly seemed to realize her situation, and Syaoran's, as she began pounding countless times on the imprisoning barrier, Suuki soon following.  
  
Kurotsuki, noticing this, frowned and stood up, gently laying Syaoran on the floor as he did so, amber eyes never leaving the dead teenager's peaceful face. Leaving Syaoran behind, the "magician" took a few steps in their direction, his gaze now fixed on them. Both girls noticed his handsome face held a genuine sadness.  
  
"Sorry, girls." He said. "But I have to extinguish your lives right now." A tear escaped one of his amber eyes. "Even though you were the best audience I've ever had, excluding Shin'Ya of course."  
  
Sakura looked confused. Really, why should he kill them if he neither needed nor wanted to? The Japanese girl knew none of these two were Kurotsuki's case.  
  
Next to her, Suuki seemed to be wondering the same thing, when, suddenly, realization dawned on the female Li Guardian. "You're still under that spell the elders cast, aren't you? Even though it's weakened due to time and the casters' deaths, but since you were locked and died with it, the spell followed you I death, didn't it? The elders must have added something else to that spell! And you need power to become greater than the incantation and so be able to break it! Isn't that correct?!"  
  
Astonished, Kurotsuki stopped in his tracks and just stared at her. When recovering, he calmly answered, "You're 100% correct. Syaoran-kun's and his other Li Guardian's energy were enough to give me back my speech, a new body and part of my movements, but the essence of the spell still remains."  
  
A few moments of silence passed as they stood motionless in their respective spots, eyes locking. Then, eventually, Kurotsuki raised both his arms, each aiming an open palm facing the two girls.  
  
"Sorry." He repeated. "But your times are up."  
  
That said, his hands began to shine with a lavender light around them, and as he was about to send both girls to another world, he suddenly stopped again, frozen in his spot, eyes wide with astonishment. "Nani desu ka (What is it)?"  
  
The girls, surprised, looked at him with confused glances: he was clutching the sides of his head as if they were about to burst out, yet his face held no signs of pain. It was strange... to say the least. The renewed Li Guardian seemed to be meditating, were it not for the strength he was putting on his hands.  
  
"Doushita no kashira?" Suuki voiced their thoughts, as they kept looking forward at him. The barrier the lavender-haired man put around them wasn't faltering, fact that showed his high capacity to concentrate.  
  
The female Li Guardian was startled out of her thoughts when Kurotsuki's voice seemed to echo the one word that could bring her to reality any time.  
  
"Syaoran-kun..."  
  
Both girlfriend and Li Guardian looked even more intently at him, trying to understand, a point of hope in them...  
  
Kurotsuki then let go of his head, arms falling to his sides, head raised as if he was looking straight above, were it not for his closed eyes.  
  
Sakura and Suuki, who had been pressing themselves against the magic barrier as they observed all this, almost fell flat on their faces when the "magician", after glowing a little with his lavender magic energy and muttering a few words, removed it, therefore suddenly taking their support, but the girls caught themselves on time. As they managed to look at him, not understanding what was gong on, he answered their unspoken question, yet again calmly, maintaining his position.  
  
"Sakura-san, would you be able to set me free, with the help of the Li heir?" He asked.  
  
Sakura, although unsure of herself, politely answered. "Shirimasen. Dekimasu kamo shiremasen kedo... hontou ni shirimasen (I don't know. I might be able to... but I really don't know). What would I have to do?"  
  
"It wouldn't be different with what you did with the reincarnation of Read Clow: summon your wand, hold it high before you and chant the words I tell you... that way. There will be an outside force and an inside force to purify my body and soul from the essence of this strong spell."  
  
"Inside force?" Suuki asked.  
  
"Sou (Yeah)... inside force... that would be... Syaoran-kun." He said. Seeing their astonished faces, Kurotski answered hat he rightfully thought was the question in their minds. "Let me put it this way: when I took his life energy to make myself a new body, I also unavoidably trapped his soul inside it. Because it's his life energy, I also got some strongest physical and psychological aspects, including his knowledge; which wasn't much news to me, but good just the same; and Syaoran-kun's deepest emotions, although that was only brought up when I tried to kill you just now. According to what these things are communicating, the spell which was put on my soul was powerful, but not undefeatable. The only way to terminate it is to have two strong magic energies doing the same counter-spell simultaneously, one inside the spell-cast body and one outside of it. It's a kind of rarely used purification because it takes a lot of strength from both souls, but if done correctly, no harm will come."  
  
The girls looked at him, still slightly confused, but understanding, if only a little. Sakura nodded and summoned her staff. Asking Suuki to stay away, since they didn't know what might happen, she called, a smile on her face. "Ganbarimasu (I'll do my best)!"  
  
Kurotsuki let a small smile adorn his own face, in gratitude, before he started pronouncing the words Syaoran's soul was telling him to and explained how she should concentrate to use her soul's strength. When they were ready, Kurotsuki gave the signal and, as Sakura's eyes closed, Syaoran's soul and hers unknowingly synchronized as the incantation "played" in their very deepest essence, for the secret of the counter-spell was not for the words to be pronounced, but to be emitted from the soul.  
  
_"Hear thee soul lost within thyself  
  
trapped for centuries in a  
  
history of sadness and spells.  
  
We now set thy spirit free  
  
as thy life should have been  
  
were it not for misfortune  
  
encountered then.  
  
With our wills and thy wish  
  
may thee now finally rest  
  
in the world where souls  
  
find it best.  
  
As sadness was what you met in life  
  
may in death happiness thee find  
  
for we shall pray for a happy end  
  
hoping some cheers we might send.  
  
What now remains of the spell  
  
to trap this poor soul...  
  
be gone and restore  
  
the happiness you stole!"_ [1]

* * *

A lavender-haired figured walked lonely through the halls of the Li family mansion, absorbed in his own little world, light green eyes closed [2], thoughts completely submerged by a certain young chocolate-haired man.  
  
His steps unconsciously brought him to the mansion's peaceful outside gardens, a large green space filled by innumerous kinds of plants, that held so many dear moments for the light-colored-haired man. In the middle of the paradise-like place, there was a small wooden bridge over s small stream perfect for meditation when there was no one else around.  
  
And it was on that bridge that Kurotsuki found Shin'Ya on that evening. The Li heir seemed to be looking intently at the water below, but his amber gaze clearly announced he was elsewhere. When the Li Guardian came closer, though, as if electrocuted, the brown-haired man had turned around suddenly, coming face to face with the other. . and a smile instantly appeared on his face.  
  
"I have been meaning to see you, Kurotsuki."  
  
Coming up the bridge and standing right beside to his master, the long- haired man replied, slightly worried. "Really? What for? Nothing serious, is it?"  
  
"No, no... it's nothing like that!"  
  
"Then please stop waving your arms up and down."  
  
"Oops!" The Li heir whispered, bringing his arms to their rightful place beside him. With a lopsided grin, he continued, "Actually, I just wanted to say that I'm really, really, grateful for all the efforts you've been doing for me lately and that... well... uh... I just wanted to give this to you." Shin'Ya said, stumbling on the last words, at which he stretched out one of his arms again before him and, opening his fist, revealed a small brown paper package. "Please, take it. It's a gift... from me to you... because you're always helping me... and because you love me so... that I've begun loving you too..." He whispered, face lowered to hide a huge red stain that suddenly appeared on the clear skin of his face.  
  
Kurotsuki could not believe what his master had said, happiness filling him up, but respectfully keeping his emotion in check, the lavender-haired man gently took the package from the other's quivering outstretched hand. As it was opened, the package revealed a perfectly round onyx pendant with the kanji's to his name, "dark" and "moon", engraved on it, and a silver chain that held it tightly.  
  
Gasping, the Li Guardian couldn't say anything for a couple of minutes, completely in shock, but eventually, as his reflections seemed to kick in, a gentle smile was his expression and, with a very careful gesture, he lifted his master's face, making them eye-leveled once again. "Thanks, Shin'Ya. I love it... it's... beautiful, especially since you were the one who gave it to me. I'll be sure to wear it and treasure it always... the same way you know I'll always love you."  
  
The Li heir smiled, perhaps in relief, and the bridge marked their first kiss... the first of many happy times they shared as a couple.  
  
And that bridge turned out to be their meeting spot, their confident... and the guardian of precious memories to both of them. [3]

* * *

It was like Kurotsuki's very soul was smiling as that specific memory seemed to play before him... one of the many memories he would never forget...

* * *

Suuki observed perplexed that, as the words seemed to escape Sakura's soul, Kurotsuki's body, at first, only glowed, but gradually began to slowly disintegrate. When the body turned to nothing but dust, his voice was heard by them both and Sakura opened her eyes so as to speak with him, only to realize he no longer had matter, having turned only into an abstract presence. Listening to his voice, she couldn't help but to feel some happiness for him.  
  
"Thank you very much! After more then two centuries, I am finally free to rest in peace thanks to both of you. I'm sure I'll be able to find Shin'Ya and make up for everything. I do hope, though, that our family will not happen to do such cruel things again, for they stain the Li family's name and honor. We will forever watch over them so as to guide the Li family in the correct path in hopes that tragedies like this don't happen again. Farewell... and once again... thank you!"  
  
As the last words were heard, silence claimed them, and both girls knew Kurotsuki had finally gone after Shin'Ya in another world. Although they were a bit happy at first, but Sakura and Suuki soon began to weep as they realized what they dreaded most: Syaoran was also lost to them.  
  
Running over to his body, they uselessly shook and cried out to him, but he remained silent and motionless.  
  
Trying to look away from the view of his unresponsive form, Sakura's eyes stopped on the dust that remained of Kurotsuki's "new" body. She watched as it flew away when a sudden gust of wind blew, scattering all over... and a shiny black object caught her attention.  
  
Standing up she walked over and picked it up, noticing it held the two kanjis for Kurotsuki's name... and on the other side, the two kanjis that symbolized "life" (inochi) and "energy" (ki). Touching it, the Japanese girl felt something more trapped inside it and, not knowing why, she knew what it was.  
  
She went back to his side and kneeled beside him, opposite the other girl, who had silently watched Sakura's movements through tear-streaked eyes, unquestioning. Picking up his head and placing it on her lap, she seemed to have struck Suuki, for the girl began to cry again even more.  
  
"I can't restore his life energy if he hasn't both a bit of it and his soul! Restoring his life energy is easy if he has some because, even if it's only a little, it will work as a link and catalyze the welcoming of more! And the process can't be done if there isn't any soul since, without it, there is no life! It would take an incredible amount of life energy to restore at least some of his body... and it would have to be his life energy if we want to restore his body! Magic is OK, that's something that depends on himself if he's destined to have some, but... I... can't..."  
  
Sakura looked at her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Would you be able to restore it if he had only his soul?" She asked  
  
Suuki looked at her questioningly, but answered, "I can, but... I'd only be able to return very little... and it would take at least 3 days for him to recover enough energy to wake up, a few more to be able to do regular things, but..." She trailed off, more sobs preventing ay other words.  
  
Sakura smiled. "Then we might be able get Syaoran-kun back."  
  
Suuki looked skeptfully at her, but the Japanese girl only offered the Li Guardian a small smile and showed the object in her hands closely. "Kore no naka ni Syaoran-kun no tamashii ga iru to omou yo (I think Syaoran-kun's soul is inside this)." Sakura explained, "I'll give him back his soul, you give him back his life energy."  
  
The female Li Guardian nodded. "Thank you for caring so much, Kinomoto-san. Please, never cease doing that, if anything, make it stronger."  
  
Smiling and nodding again, Sakura turned back to the lifeless body. Using The Sword to crack the round pendant in perfectly equal halves and immediately trapping the green vapor that came out of it inside her mouth, she gave one more glance at Suuki, who looked back encouragingly.  
  
Lowering her head to the one on her lap, Sakura used her delicate fingers to gently open Syaoran's lips. Then, curving her back so as to be above him, she captured them with hers and slowly pushed his soul back inside his body with her tongue [4], almost like a heated kiss, except she was the only one doing anything, and his lips were already colder than ice.  
  
A tear ran down her face. [5]  
  
"Syaoran-kun..." She whispered against his cold lips. [6]  
  
When her task was finished, Sakura raised her head to nod at the Suuki, who nodded back and offered a sad smile as she placed her hands above his chest and whispered a few more words while canalizing her life energy to her master.  
  
"Ne, Kinomoto-san, onegai ga imasu: Syaoran-sama o makaseteimasu-kara... zettai ni omamotte kudasai! Yami to watashi wa hontou ni aishimasu... Syaoran-sama no koto. Desu-kara... watashi-tachi no tame... watashi-tachi no kawari ni... Syaoran-sama o tanoshimasu! (Kinomoto-san, I've got a favor to ask of you: because I'm entrusting Syaoran-sama to you... please protect him no matter what happens! Yami and I really loved him. So... for our sake... in our place... watch over him!)"  
  
Sakura looked questioningly at her, and even though the Li Guardian had already closed her eyes she knew her master's girlfriend wasn't understanding... as always.  
  
"I said I could restore his life energy up to some small extent, but I'll have to give all of mine, and consequently my life too, to do it. Yami has already gone from this world, which means that'll leave Syaoran-sama with no Li Guardians to protect or watch over him. I'm, no, _we_ are leaving that job to you, since you have the same link we have towards him: love... and loyalty."  
  
Sakura, finally understanding, let her tears flow freely as she cried out to the other girl.  
  
"No, Moriko-san, there has to be some other way! You don't have to die too! Yami's... death," Sakura winced as she pronounced the heavy word, "will give him grief enough when he wakes up, please don't put any more weight on his shoulders!"  
  
Suuki just smirked, knowing what the other girl was trying to do. "To put more grief on Syaoran-sama's shoulders is far from my intentions, but giving him his life back is the greatest offer I can give him. Kinomoto- san, onakanaide kudasai (please don't cry). For a Li Guardian, whose life isn't even his or her own, the greatest wish we have, even if it costs us our existence, is to be able to give happiness to our masters. Our greatest joy is to be able to reach that dream."  
  
Sakura sobbed even more, as she watched how Suuki's body began to disintegrate, much like Kurotsuki's new one had, except her dust was not cumulating on the floor, it was floating around, looking like glitter because of the flashing sparkles, which charged right into Syaoran's body as if shooting him.  
  
When the whole process was over, all that could be heard on that particular rooftop were Sakura's loud sobs and Syaoran's now struggled breathing, his chest rising up and down in slow movements.  
  
As minutes passed by, her tears eventually came to an end and she stopped crying. Looking down at the one on her lap, only then did she finally realize he was breathing, slowly and calmly, in a rhythmic pattern.  
  
Despite all her sadness, a broad smile spread across her lips, a few tears of joy rolling down her cheeks. Her hands flew to his head without thought, lovingly caressing his silky amber hair. Then she slowly lowered her face to his and kissed his slightly poorly up lips.  
  
"Youkatta! Moriko-san, Kage-san, arigatou (Thank goodness! Moriko-san, Kage-san, thanks)! Thank you so much for returning and entrusting him to me! I... I... I can't even think about living without Syaoran-kun anymore..." She whispered to the silent sky and prayed voicelessly... a few more tears falling on the sleeping boy's face.  
  
**END of CHAPTER TEN – The REDEMPTION  
**  
[1] Who says spells and incantations have to rhyme? ;p  
  
[2] Just remembering: the renewed Kurotsuki has Syaoran's amber eyes because of the life energy taken, but the original "version" of the "magician" had light green eyes, much lighter than Sakura's.  
  
[3] Anyone remember that's where Kurotsuki was when Shin'Ya first appeared in the story/illusion?  
  
[4] Well, I DID describe it as vapor, and vapor has matter, so it's theoretically possible. ¬¬'' I don't believe my own arguments... --'''  
  
[5] Again?! Why don't they just spill out already instead of coming one by one?!  
  
Loki: You're the author!  
  
--''' Well, I don't have an answer for that...  
  
Kai --''': Pitiful...  
  
[6] Kurotsuki couldn't take the pendant with him to the "spiritual world" (suddenly Yu Yu?) for obvious reasons, so he left it to help them get Syaoran back.  
  
[7] Without life energy and a soul in it, there is nothing that keeps a Li Guardian's body from disappearing. That also goes for Kurotsuki. However, for a normal person, the body is usually able to hold itself together even without them, mostly because they were naturally created, and not a product of one's excess or needs.  
  
A.N.: I made Sakura cry a lot in this chapter! Reason? Well, sorry to say this to the Sakura fans, but, like it or not, SHE _IS_ A CRY-BABY!!!!! And YEAH, I ALMOST _HATE_ her!  
  
Loki oO?!: Then why is this a S/S fic?  
  
I started it about three years ago, when I still liked her... now I really think she should rot because of all the suffering she makes Syaoran go through in: Card Captor Sakura manga, Card Captor Sakura Anime Series, Card Captor Sakura movies AND Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle! I mean, please, give him a break!  
  
Syaoran: At least someone is on my side...  
  
-grasps Syaoran from behind and hugs him with all her might- I'll **ALWAYS** be _on_ your side and _by_ your side, Syaoran-kun! Or behind, or in front... or wherever you'd like me to be around you... but never far!   
  
Kai ¬¬  
  
Kouichi '''  
  
The spell-casting "poem" on this chapter IS mine, even though it sucks, so if anyone wants to use it, please GET my permission first! That goes for other chants I've used on this fic too.  
  
I wasn't able to kill Syaoran... not on this one, but I still plan to do it on some other fic!   
  
_Oh, yeah, MAJOR **WARNING**: next chapter, which is the last before the epilogue, contains some **lemon**, but it'll be **separated** by in case anyone would like to skip it, since it_ _does not interfere with the plot. You have been warned! Actually, it's quite mild, as it was my first hetero lemon and anything too graphic would not go too well with this fic._  
  
Does anyone "here" like "CLAMP Campus Detectives" (and associated mangas) or "Prince of Tennis"? I've got a small fics (as almost always) on these...  
  
I'm THROUGH with LONG fics! From now on, it's only 6 chaptered fics or so (or not ¬¬)!  
  
Mistakes, comments and the usual stuff that I'm tired of writing every single chapter... REVIEW! Please?   
  
Syaoran-Lover signing out!  
  
02/23/2004 


	13. The Ritual LEMON ALERT!

Uhm, guys, I'm really sorry for taking this long, but I REALLY wanted to post the first chap of my new CCS ff before this one was over, so I'll be posting it along with this fic's epilogue, hopefully.

Another CLAMP Campus Detectives fic is out! It _was_ a THREESHOT focusing on Nokoru-sama, but _now_ it's a medium-sized fic; it's still focused on Nokoru-sama though! No pairs, but implied stuff there is! Title: The Way You Are Is Fine Enough

OK, remember: **LEMON** alert for this chapter, so if you don't like it, skip it! Lemon part is separated by the slash thingies. Also remember Syaoran-sama's currently 19 and Sakura's 18... because I say so! ;p **EDIT! no longer accepts explicit content, so I removed it. If you want the lemon scene, e-mail me!**

And now, without further delay, the CHAPTER!

_ENJOY!_

**THE LI GUARDIANS**

**Chapter 11 – THE RITUAL**

When Syaoran finally woke up three days later, due to another nightmare, he found Sakura's peaceful sleeping face by his side. She was dressed in a knee-length blue skirt, which was currently not covering much, the boy observed with a small blush as he carefully lowered it a bit, and a small white sleeveless shirt. The amber-eyed Chinese let a small smile adorn his handsome face as his hand unconsciously raised itself to caress her hair lovingly while he took in their surroundings.

They were in his room, he noticed, specifically on his bed, the bedside alarm clock displaying 9:47pm. Through the window, the moon was already very high and the sky was dark with various stars shining.

"Wow! I must have really slept... what happened? When did we get here?" He asked himself mentally.

At that moment, Sakura stirred and eventually opened her beautiful emerald eyes, meeting his amber ones instantly. For a few seconds, they only stared at each other and nothing more, motionless, until tears started falling down her cheeks. Surprised, he was about to hug her comfortingly and ask what was wrong, when she abruptly threw herself in his arms, making Syaoran suddenly become very much aware that he was only wearing his black boxers and a beige sleeveless shirt much like hers.

"Syaoran-kun! Syaoran-kun! I was so worried! I was so desperate when you died! Thank God you're all right! Youkatta!" She cried while hugging the other with all her strength.

His eyes closed and a small happy smile on his face, Syaoran hugged her back for a few moments before gently pushing her away. Placing his right finger under her chin, he raised her head to his eyelevel, the other hand tenderly brushing away the tears freely escaping.

"Sakura, I know this is not the best time, but I can't remember... where's Suuki? How much time has gone by since we freed Kurotsuki?" He asked calmly, a neutral look as his expression.

The girl tried to look away, but found that his hands were both firmly holding her face, although it wasn't harming her in any way. After a while of uncomfortable silence and breathless staring, Sakura finally gave him an answer in a whisper.

"You've slept for three whole days, Syaoran-kun. By now, Kurotsuki-san has returned to Shin'Ya-san's side; they must certainly be very happy... because they're together. Moriko-san, however, to save Syaoran-kun's life she offered her own and became just another lonely soul... I don't know, but perhaps she can find Kage-san to keep her company..."

Syaoran, although already suspecting something like that happened, found it was hard nonetheless to keep his wet pearls from escaping... and eventually gave in. Hugging the girl, he let them drop freely and was barely able to notice when Sakura cradled his head on her chest, causing a small blush to appear on both their faces.

While he was still sobbing, perhaps for the first time in his life, a whispered apology came from Syaoran's lips. "I'm so sorry, Suuki, Yami, it was my fault, because I'm so weak..."

Sakura sighed as she heard this, and without letting go of him, she replied in a calm and soothing voice, "Syaoran-kun... Moriko-san said it, that the biggest dream and the strongest wish they had was to help you find happiness... and that's why she gave you her life, as did Kage-san... therefore, please, be happy." She whispered in his ear.

A few minutes later, as the moon began to shine its brightest and more of its rays entered the Li apartment, they broke the embrace, one looking at the other as both sat on the bed.

"Sakura..."

"Syaoran-kun..."

At this, the boy closed his eyes and lowered his head, shaking it in disapproval. Raising it again, he voiced his request. "At times like these, when it's just the two of us and the two of us only, call me Syaoran."

She smiled, clearly happy with it. "Hai... Syaoran."

He smiled back at her response and abruptly pulled Sakura back towards his body, hugging her delicate frame with tender strength, whispering softly in her ear.

"I'm going to make the best of my life for Suuki's and Yami's sake. I'm going to reach the happiness they wanted me to have. Sakura, will you help me grasp it?" He asked in yet another whisper before nibbling on her earlobe, sending shivers down her spine, her arms limp by her sides.

After recovering from the shock half a minute later, she nodded in response. Syaoran, seemingly happy with her reply, released her ear and turned his face to look at hers for a few seconds and she stared back. Slowly the chestnut-haired couple closed their eyes and leaned towards one another, meeting at the center for a passionate kiss, Sakura holding tightly to the sheets under her folded knees as indescribable pleasure took the girl. Leaning back her head, the emerald-eyed teen balanced herself on vertically outstretched arms while her partner slowly raised himself on his knees to follow her without breaking the kiss, lips hungrily brushing the ones beneath his.

At that moment, with the moon shining its light on their profiles, the two of them looked like a statue, and a very romantic one at that: Sakura sitting on her knees, holding herself with her extended arms a bit behind her body, head leaned back at an impossible 90º, while Syaoran, standing on his knees, legs between her thighs, his right hand on her lower back, the other on the back of her head, holding it right under his, their lips locked, but moving.

The difference was that statues usually don't move, but this couple did...

* * *

**_CUT_ LEMON SCENE**

* * *

The moon watched from its height in full glory as the two lovers laid on their sides on top of the bed, their bodies tightly pressed against one another, lips once again glued as the girl's hands savagely ruffled his chocolate hair while the boy's lustfully roamed every part of her athletic body that he could reach without parting their locked mouths. 

When they finally did break apart for air, Syaoran placed his head on her chest, Sakura's hands gently caressing his hair and face, both just resting from the previous actions in peaceful silence, only their breathing could be heard.

After a few moments of just lying there, Syaoran voiced an interesting thought. "I wonder what your dear brother and Kerberos would say if they knew..." He trailed off.

Sakura giggled a bit at that before answering. "Not to worry; it's my life, I'll make that clear to them." She said, gently raising his face to look at him in the eyes. "It's my choice, Syaoran, and even if you left me forever right now, all of eternity wouldn't give me enough time to regret anything. I love you, no matter what, I truly do..."

With those words, they kissed, simple and sweet, his reply heard between the movements of their lips.

"As do I, Sakura."

The stars of the dark night were the only witnesses as the couple started the whole ritual time after time throughout the night...

**END of CHAPTER ELEVEN – THE RITUAL**

A.N.: First and foremost, I _know_ Sakura and Syaoran were a little OOC, but I seriously believe people "transform" when they're having sexual relationships, so thus I "transformed" them too. Another IMPORTANT message I'd like to leave is the fact that since the fic _IS MINE_ and therefore _I_ decide what will happen and what will not, Sakura will **NOT** get pregnant, unless I decide against it later, but I am in NO way encouraging anyone to not have safe sex, contrarily, I urge everyone to **ALWAYS** use a condom (at least) when having sexual relationships, unless there IS the desire to get pregnant and the certainty that none of the parties hold any sexually transmissible illness like AIDS! **SAFE SEX, PEOPLE, SAFE SEX!**

That down, like I wrote at the beginning, this chapter is mostly dedicated to the lemon part and since it was my first hetero lemon, I'd really like to know how I did, so please leave a review or an e-mail telling me not only that, but also any eventual mistake (spelling/typing, Grammar, coherency, whatever!) I might not have noticed when I did the editing/reviewing!

Stay tuned for the epilogue of "The Li Guardians"!

Syaoran-Lover signing out! '''


	14. EPILOGUE The Future

A.N.: Here's the last chapter/epilogue of my first 'published' fic, _The Li Guardians_! Enjoy!

**THE LI GUARDIANS**

**EPILOGUE – THE FUTURE**

Tomoyo dropped by Syaoran's apartment the next day, knowing the couple would be there thanks to a message left by her best friend on the answering machine. Keen as the long-haired Japanese girl was, she soon noted not to ask anything yet, also noticing both were even more opening and smiling, and she mentally kicked herself for leaving her digital camera on top of her bed.

By the time Tomoyo headed to school, both Sakura and Syaoran were ready and went with her. They arrived shortly, but still before the teacher, which gave them time to settle in, ignoring the looks everyone gave them. A few minutes later, Naoko, not being able to control her natural curiosity anymore, sighed and, practically jumping at the couple, asked, her loud voice heard throughout the classroom, "Li-kun, Sakura-chan, what happened that day? Everyone was so worried! We were so scared, we didn't realize you stayed behind!"

At that instant, Rika, the other following her towards the Sakura, Syaoran, Tomoyo and Naoko, got up and continued, "That's right, the teachers called Sakura-chan's house, but no one knew anything and we couldn't find you!"

"And no one answered at Li-kun's apartment either, neither of you were found! So everyone was got really panicked, school was cut off for the rest of the day! We've been waiting since then for you to appear! We were worried something might have happened!" Yamazaki completed the thoughts.

Nearing the couple even more, Chiharu voiced the original unanswered question again, "So, what happened? Where _were_ you?"

As their classmates looked expectantly at them, Sakura and Syaoran wondered how to answer that without telling anything important, side glancing at each other with twin desperate looks on their faces. Just as they were about to try something, the door opened and Mr. Terada walked in, his eyes traveling directly to the couple's respective desks; although they were empty, he saw the two backed away to the wall surrounded by the others. Seeing both there, he visually breathed out in relief and proceeded with the class, briefly warning the Japanese girl and the Chinese boy to report to the school office during break time.

When the teacher requested, everyone walked back to their respective desks, most narrowly missing the worried looks Sakura and Syaoran shared, which transformed into determined nods. Tomoyo smiled, picking up her camera and preparing it, guessing what they were going to do.

As the time went by, the first hours of class were finally over and the students inwardly cheered when they heard the awaited sound. The chestnut couple stood up and, holding hands, quietly exited the classroom, Tomoyo following them discretely.

Standing just outside the school, hidden by a large tree, Sakura released her staff and summoned the desired card. "Lock away everyone's horrible and frightening memories of yesterday's events... and anything else connected to it! Erase!" She shouted, but not too loud, just enough for people _very_ close to hear, giving Tomoyo a clear recording of audio and video, the long-haired girl knowing her memories wouldn't be erased because her best friend would preserve them.

The Erase card appeared above them, looking down at the two below, it smiled when laying eyes on them: Sakura was holding her staff, all of her concentration on sending enough magic energy for the spell, and beside her, Syaoran, his eyes closed as he, with the two extended fingers behind the summoned sword, also concentrated to help the Sakura Cards wielder, since a lot of energy would be needed to complete the job. Smiling, the card flew towards the school and, using the offered magic energy, it had more than enough to remove all traces of recollections from everyone involved with the incident. When its duty was done, the Erase disappeared in traces of smoke above them.

As auburn-hared girl finished her task, she once more rejoined hands with her boyfriend, who immediately brought her towards his own body for a kiss, surprising her so, that Sakura was unable to let the newly-formed tears escape her eyes.

Syaoran knew she wanted to cry, after all, the two of them had just wiped away the memories of more than three-hundred people, and that was not only tiring, but also very saddening... to them, a memory was a precious part of life, so in taking away some of them, it was like they'd taken away bits of the lives of those people. The recollections forever lost belonged to friends and unknown citizens, all erased by the two of them, even though they had no right to, but merely because both still had to protect the existence of magic. The fact wouldn't exactly bring them a good consciousness, but they knew they had to do it.

"Syaoran," she murmured, bringing him back to reality. In response, he hugged her tightly against himself, moving his lips against hers so as to distract the girl, who eventually hugged him too, her hands painfully gripping the back of his shirt and part of his skin. Ignoring hurt she was unwarily inflicting on him, Syaoran deepened the kiss, knowing it would at least help her relieve Sakura a little. Eventually he felt her body relax and join him in the pleasure of their moment, realizing he'd succeeded in comforting her. The very thought made him smile in the kiss.

The coupe remained like that for some time, knowing both needed those minutes to ease their thoughts; a light breeze passed her by, gently ruffling their hair and slightly raising her skirt, though not enough to reveal anything.

Lost in their sweet reverie, neither ever realized Tomoyo's warnings, who was recording everything all along, that either groups were walking by at that instant, among which was Syaoran's personal fan-club, so the two were caught in the act.

"Li-kun! What's this?!" One of them screamed.

The couple, startled, broke apart immediately, as if the other had caught fire, and stood five feet apart from one another, suddenly taking an extreme interest in the grass beneath them. It was embarrassing to have been caught in such a heated kiss.

After a few seconds, feeling his confidence slowly building up again, he walked back to the girl he had been caught with and entwined their fingers, giving her a reassuring smile before turning to them as he declared in a loud and clear voice, "I think it's about time you know... Sakura and I have been going out for a long time now. She is my girlfriend, so I would really like you to respect her as such." He finished with a charming smile.

The girls swooned at it, but caught themselves and soon they were all rampaging and stomping their feet on the ground, "We'll never allow our Syaoran-sama to date such a boring girl! Kinomoto-san, let go of him this instant!" They screamed.

The couple sweatdropped, but hey didn't have much time to do anything more since the girls started ganging up on them, so both immediately knew they would have to run for it. Neither would ever use magic to impose their will; it was best they conquered the fan girls' approval ... or at least their tolerance, if either wanted at least a little bit of piece when at school.

Realizing danger faster, Syaoran squeezed her hand to get her attention and, turning around, he started running with astounding speed, Sakura right behind him, their hands never parting. As the couple neared the small park inside the school, the chocolate-haired boy smirked as an idea came to his mind. Running even faster, he dragged his girlfriend to the center of the rows of trees and, stopping abruptly, he caught her in his arms, bent his knees and leaped high on to a branch. The speed Syaoran had used with the last movements had been so fast, it gave the impression he and Sakura had just disappeared out of nowhere, which was exactly what his fan-club thought, coming to a stop right where they had last seen him.

"He just," one of the fan girls started and trailed off.

"Disappeared!" Another finished.

"Wow! Amazing! Li-sama is really incredible, isn't he?!" A third one cooed, all of the others instantly agreed and started talking about their wonderful their idol was and how lucky they were to be able to see him everyday; in other words: how lucky they were to be in the same school as him; before they proceeded to babble about all the awesome things they had seen their 'perfect Li-sama' do. Eventually the large group headed back to the school building, the reason why they were in the park long forgotten.

Above the spot the girls had just vacated, hidden by the trees' branches and leaves, Sakura and Syaoran sweatdropped at the girls babbling on and on as they went back. After the fan-club was gone, the two looked at each other and Sakura, sitting on Syaoran's lap while the latter sat on a branch a little higher than the one he had originally jumped on, started giggling, soon followed by him. The shy chuckles from the both of them quickly developed into uncontrollable laughs.

"I guess... not all will be... a... happy ending, eh?" She said between each intake of breath.

After the laughs died down a bit later, the boy replied, "We still have your brother and Kerberos to deal with, don't forget that!" he said with a sigh. "At least your father supports us, just like Daidouji does. I'd hate to try to come near you if your guardian-angel-and-best-friend wasn't on our side!" Syaoran commented playfully, making both start laughing all over again.

"Besides," he said when the fit dies down once more, "I'll always have a happy ending as long as I'm with you."

She smiled at his sweet expression and the two leaned in for a kiss, forgetting, if only for a moment, the fan-club, the painful experiences they'd been through, the sins both committed together. When their lips met, Sakura and Syaoran forgot everything else except from themselves, the other and the different sensations they were reaching together, knowing life was only beginning to extend its path before them, and the couple was only starting to walk as one. Both also knew, however, that as long as they remained together, even the difficult times that were sure to come, as they come in everyone's life, could be surpassed, after all, their greatest strength was their union.

"Let me stay with you... forever," one whispered in the kiss.

"And not even death will do us apart," the other finished, still within their lips' dance, with the exact words the first was about to pronounce, the same thought in both minds.

Whoever said what does not matter, so long as their feelings were honest and sincere, as in the moment those words escaped them, then anything would be possible.

**END OF EPILOGUE – THE FUTURE and of FIC**

A.N.: KAWAII!!! Just _try_ imagining a 19-year-old Syaoran sitting on a high branch of a very green tree and an 18-year-old Sakura on his lap, both oblivious to the world, in a passionate kiss! KAAAAAWAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIII!!!

Yes, well, like I wrote before, I write fanfictions for my own entertainment, so there's no reason why I shouldn't think what I write is cute! ;p

Of course, if you feel otherwise, feel free to say it in a review; the same goes for criticisms, incoherencies, mistakes, comments, etc.

Well, that's the **end** of this fic, don't forget to check out the parody I made to the Spice Girls song "_Goodbye_" (I _DO** NOT** _own the Spice Girls version, but I _DO_ own mine!!!) "**_Goodbye, Li Guardians_**" – a tribute to Yami and Suuki!

Well, my first Card Captor Sakura fic/first 'published' fic is _FINALLY_ complete! My next CCS will be YAOI (the Eriol x Syaoran one I wrote about in the previous chapter), and then I'm not sure... I've got about three other CCS fics besides this one to work on... so only God knows when I'll get a chance to finish them. ¬¬''''

Check my bio for any changes! ï

_It's your fic, it's your world!!!_

Syaoran-Lover signing out!!!

"_Syaoran-sama o ai shiteimasu-kara, nanimo dekimasu, kare no tame nara..."_


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